January in Review & Looking Forward to February

Hi, Illinois DECA! It’s Francisco Soto from the Illinois DECA Rising Leaders Team, with a recap of January and what's coming up in February!

Here’s a rundown of a busy January, with countless engaging events and initiatives!

DECA Decoded Podcast

• Watch the second episode here! (and on our YouTube and Spotify)

• This episode features ICDC finalists and glass winners sharing tips on preparing for competition season

State Success Series #1

• First State Success Series: “Mastering the Roleplay”  featured Illinois DECA President, Josh Koyfman

• Josh shared his best tips on competition prep, role plays, and the cluster exam

• 100+ members attended to prepare for competition! 

North Suburban Area Competition 

• On January 14, over 2,400 North Suburban DECA members competed at the Area competition

• Unfortunately, West and South Region Area competitions were cancelled due to the weather

• A huge congratulations to all who medaled and a special shout-out to our first-year members who stepped into their first role play!

Chapter Spotlight

• Geneva DECA has had a strong turnout at its philanthropic fundraisers supporting the MDA, including its TopGolf event. Additionally, they hosted a Fall Cleanup that had a significant impact on their community. Way to go, Geneva DECA! 

• Neuqua Valley DECA’s active social media presence keeps members informed, engaged, and excited about all that is happening within the chapter. Great work, Neuqua Valley DECA, creating a welcoming environment for all students to grow as leaders!

February is shaping up to be just as great! Take a look at what’s to come:

Illinois Ignite - February 10, 2026

• Join the first-ever Illinois DECA virtual networking call on Tuesday, February 10! 

• This is an opportunity to connect with members across chapters through interactive breakout rooms and engaging conversations. See you there!

State Success Series #2 - February 11, 2026

• Second State Success Series: “Learning from DECA’s Best” on February 11! 

• Will feature a panel of ICDC finalists who have competed at the highest levels and know what it takes to succeed

Leadership Council: DECAHOOT - February 18, 2026

• February will feature a Kahoot all about common cluster exam questions! 

• Test your knowledge and show off your skills through this friendly competition!

IL DECA MDA Pickleball Tournament

• Later this month is the IL DECA MDA Pickleball Tournament! 

• Stay tuned on the Illinois DECA social media pages for the date, venue, and logistics!

Don’t miss out, get involved, and as always, continue to ‘Go the Extra’!

Until next time!