Bright lights, the big city and a rich history. A group of students in the DECA program at WSHS observed this on their trip to New York City. DECA, Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a student-led business organization where participants compete to learn business skills, and there are currently over 200,000 members nationwide.

“We toured almost all of New York, shopped, and saw tons of museums and historical sites,” Taryn Eddie (12) said.

Students also learned about how marketing comes to life in the business world while visiting Wall Street.

“I learned all of the history behind Wall Street and how it got its name. We also learned about the famous Wall Street Bull Statue,” Avery Rooker (12) said.

Students had the opportunity to see the many sides of New York City. Not only did they visit the historical sections of the city, but they also got a chance to see more urban areas.

“On the DECA trip, we had packed days! We did everything from the Empire State Building to the 9/11 Memorial to shopping to Wall Street to ChinaTown. There was never a dull moment. We ate authentic NYC food, walked for miles, and people watched. I also rode my first subway and went to my first Knicks game.” Emma Meadows (11) said.

The trip was a learning opportunity for Marketing II and III students. The trip’s goal was to bond with each other before the upcoming DECA competition, as well as learn about the business world of one of the most famous cities in the world.

“I made lasting memories and new friendships in New York. I enjoyed sitting at dinner with them and talking about our trip or eating giant New York cheesecakes with them at 11pm in Times Square,” Meadows said.