North Park comes out on top at DECA Provincials

DECA provincials took place from February 5th to 7th, proving to be a weekend full of excitement, nerves, and competition. After the school’s great success at Area Four Regionals, our school prevailed once again, with over 40 students qualifying for ICDC, averaging an exam score of a whopping 81.5%.

Hours quickly turned into weeks of preparation as competitors dedicated themselves to securing a place at the international level. From practicing roleplays and presentations to arriving at their call times, students remained resilient despite the pressure. ASM Provincial Champion, Dhruv Kumar, shared insight into his own preparation, stating, “I did exams constantly, forcing myself to do one per day. In the end, I ended up doing 250 exams. I also went to DECA Extra Help and practiced one role play per week, and in the day leading up to the competition, did four per day. In the end, I was very happy with the result.”

When it came to the awards ceremony, the school's efforts paid off successfully as they achieved a record-breaking number of ICDC qualifiers, alongside various medals across various categories. Notably, Grade 12 student Jia Dhillon served as one of Ontario DECA’s Provincial Officers, further highlighting their leadership presence at the event. Additionally, several grade 9s secured qualifications, demonstrating the strength and depth of the school's DECA program. Ms. Fiocco, the Head of IBT and the school’s DECA, as well as the driving force behind the club's success, proudly stated that “We had 42 ICDC qualifiers, which was the most qualifiers North Park DECA has ever had. I am so proud of this year’s team, and everybody who competed regardless of whether they qualified or not.”

Furthermore, this achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of the club’s executive team. Through consistent leadership, organization, and commitment, they fostered an environment that encouraged growth and inspired the students to perform to their fullest potential. The club’s vice president, Aarushi Aggarwal, noted that, “The executive team and trainers worked hard every week to create fun and educational lessons to help our students prepare, and it was amazing to see those efforts pay off at Provincials.” She also added that, “We had tremendous success and the highest number of members qualifying for internationals this year.”

In essence, our school’s DECA chapter not only celebrated remarkable accomplishments that will continue to inspire future club members, but also reinforced the value of hard work and resilience, regardless of whether students qualified or not. As John Wooden said, “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best, regardless of the outcome.”