The Upper School DECA chapter will conclude its annual DECA month, which began on Nov. 1 with an open house, and ends tonight with a showing of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay–Part 1,” at AMC Saratoga at 4:20 p.m.

DECA month aims to spread awareness of what the club does and what it stands for. Various activities are organized to reflect the club’s four pillars: professional responsibility, community service, academic preparation and leadership experience.

“DECA members learn to be professionally responsible by going to SVLACE, the Silicon Valley Leadership and Competitive Excellence Conference,” Alexis Gauba (10), Director of Technology, said. “Through participating in events such as the idea challenge during global entrepreneurship week they learn to innovate and become experienced leaders.”

Certain activities revolve around the pillar of community service. Money earned during Hoops and Scoops, the student vs. faculty basketball game, will be donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Another community service-oriented activity occurred on the weekend of Nov. 8: DECA officers participated in a 5K to fight for pancreatic cancer.

Hoops and Scoops, another community service oriented activity, involves the entire Upper School, not just the DECA chapter. Assistant Director of Public Relations Lucas Wang (10) believes Hoops and Scoops benefitted the school as a whole.

“It [was] an opportunity for Harker community to come together and raise money for the MDA,” he said. “DECA is more than just a business club.”

Freshman Morgan Douglas commented about how DECA month inspired her to participate and learn more about business and entrepreneurship by attending the SVLACE conference.

“It will be a nice opportunity to learn about business and do workshops,” she said.

The last activity of the month, the showing of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay–Part 1,” will take place today at 4:20 p.m. at AMC Saratoga.

This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on November 21, 2014.