Pemmasani 1

Yuktha Pemmasani

Mrs. McClendon

PCIS

12 December 2023

EOL 2

I had the opportunity to attend the DECA Ultimate Power Trip in Austin, Texas from

November 16-19. At this conference, I was met with association, district, and chapter officers

from across the country and even internationally. During this three-day conference, I participated

in many workshops ranging from professional branding to college and career preparation. The

entire conference was a great opportunity to network with other DECA members and grow as an

individual and professional.

The first day of the conference commenced with my officer team and I attending a food

truck competition tour. On this tour we were bussed around to various food truck spots around

Austin and we were given the opportunity to try the food and learn about the trucks. Then we

were placed in groups and had to create our own food trucks with full menus, business plans, and

financials. This experience gave me the opportunity to network with students from Washington

DECA and showed me how to work under time constraints. It was also a lot of fun to put our

creativity into our ideas! We culminated the experience with a presentation over our idea then

headed back to the hotel. In the evening, we attended the first workshops of the conference. First

my fellow officers and I attended the Virginia state officers’ workshop then we attended the

Texas state officers’ workshops. Both of them taught us crucial business and presentation skills

and allowed us to network with other members in DECA.

The second day of the conference consisted of a full lineup of workshops. One of the

notable workshops I went to was a meeting with admissions officers from The University of
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Michigan, The University of Texas at Austin, and Niagara University. This workshop gave me

great insight into the college admissions process and what admissions officers and colleges look

for in an applicant. Since UMich and UT are two of my top choice schools, it was an

irreplaceable experience to discuss firsthand what they are looking for. I also attended a

workshop held by real judges of DECA competitions to get advice on the different requirements

and judging tactics. This workshop gave me a lot of tips that I can implement within my own

competitive event and bring back to my chapter to share as well. It was a cool experience to see

how the judges really view roleplays and how I can shift the way I present to comply closer to

their expectations.

Overall this conference was crucial in my development as a district officer and as a

professional. I will use all the information I learned towards leaving a greater impression as I

navigate through the next few months as a district officer and through the rest of my career

journey. As I move onto the next chapter of my life, the experiences I have gained through

DECA and during my time as a district officer will prepare me to be a leader and how to

persevere through any situation.