Students From Blyth Academy Mississauga Secure Top Twenty In DECA Provincials

This year, the students of Blyth Academy Mississauga formed a strong team of business-minded students committed to excelling and showcasing their passion, skills, and expertise in business fundamentals through DECA.  

DECA is a co-curricular program that connects young business minded students through a series of competitions and challenges. Students are given the opportunity to compete in a sector of business that is of interest to them. The sectors include, marketing, accounting and finance, entrepreneurship, hospitality and tourism and business management.  

Throughout the school year, students from all over the province compete in a series of competitions with the aim of making it to the International Career Development Conference. Most recently, DECA Ontario’s provincials took place from February 12th - 14th at the Toronto Sheraton Centre. Students attended the three-day conference downtown which welcomed students and advisors from across the province to participate in a series business presentations and award ceremonies.  

We are pleased to congratulate our very own, Ivan L. who placed top twenty in the province under the Human Resources Management category! This is a proud moment for Blyth Academy Mississauga whose campus chapter focused on the intersection of experiential learning and professional career development in business.  

"Participating in the DECA provincials has been an eye-opening but skill-demanding experience. I needed to deliver two role-play presentations within one day, each consisting of a business challenge with ten minutes to prepare and ten minutes to present my solution in front of a judge. This experience improved my communication skills, enhanced my critical thinking abilities, and broadened my understanding of business administration." 

-Ivan L. 

In November, students participated in their first regional competition. This consisted of a written exam and oral role play presented to a panel of judges. With one of the smallest competing teams in the Private Northeastern Regional Division, five members of the Blyth Mississauga chapter qualified for provincial competitions. 

Our Mississauga team is under the leadership of our Chapter Advisor, Ms. Wilson, and student Executive Officer, Emma Chan. We would like to acknowledge our fearless, hard-working, and supportive team members: Julia, Emma, Arianna, Jake, Mustafa, Ivan, and Kayley. Thank you for representing Blyth Academy Mississauga with professionalism, synergy, and dedication.  

Here’s what our students had to say about their experiences in DECA this year: 

“Participating in this year's DECA regionals was a great experience that I will truly never forget. The regionals helped me improve my business knowledge, and the roleplay specifically allowed me to think on my feet. It was also definitely a fun event as I was able to meet a lot of people from across Ontario.” 

-Mustafa H. 

“This year, I had an incredible experience at DECA regionals alongside my team members, who cheered so loudly when we heard that I placed in the Top 10 Speakers for the BSM (Business Services Marketing) event. I initially joined DECA for the challenge and experience. In preparing for my event and during my case study, I found unexpected joy in roleplaying and thinking about solutions to potential real-life business problems.” 

-Arianna T. 

“It has been a great pleasure to lead Blyth Mississauga’s DECA chapter, and I am so proud to have led such an accomplished chapter. From weekly lessons to mock cases, all members engaged themselves and put in the effort that ultimately led to our success. This year, I participated in a new event, MCS (Marketing Communications), which bolstered my persuasion skills and knowledge in marketing.” 

-Emma C.