Taelen Wilson

Professor Arnold
UWRT
16, September, 2015

Literacy Narrative
In a dark lit auditorium, with about 2,000 students, top 100 billboard
songs playing with the students singing louder than the music, glow sticks
flashing, everyone dressed in business attire, and the announcer calling out
the names of winners that seems like everybody except for you. At the end
of the ceremony when my name was not called, I knew it would be the last
time.
During, sophomore year of high school I joined DECA really just to have
an extracurricular for my college applications. DECA is an organization for
high school students who are interested in marketing, management, finance,
and hospitality. A couple of my friends were already in the club, and I was
taking a few business classes that were too easy for me. The teachers
continued to persuade me to join. Eventually during the first semester I
figured I would give it a try. I didnt know what to expect, or how to even
become a winner in the competitions. At that point I didnt even care,
colleges wouldnt care if I won or not.
Every year DECA hosts a regional, state, and national competition that
consists of students taking a 100 question exam, and a role play presented
to a judge. My tenth grade year regional competition went terribly wrong, my
one friend who was supposed to be attending with me was diagnosed with

Taelen Wilson
Professor Arnold
UWRT
16, September, 2015

strep throat the night before. I also never went to any meeting that DECA
held. I was going in blind. Winners are based on the test score and role-play
score averaged together. During my event I won for the highest role-play
score. I was surprised, happy, and thought it actually meant something. Until
they called the finalists and I wasnt one of them, hurt my self-esteem a bit.
Around November when the state competition was held, I didnt even
plan on attending. My teachers and best friend forced me to. Signed me up
for an event that I knew nothing about, but I had a nonchalant attitude
towards the whole experience. Also, I figured if I could win the role play
event at regionals, theres no reason why I couldnt win here. My best friend
Sylvia and I, just wanted to shop and eat out for three days. We werent
really concerned about anything else until we were having fun in the final
ceremony, and clapped for every winner. Then we realized we werent one of
them and after a four hour long ceremony, we were going home with no
trophy. The ride home is about three to four hours long, students who are
going home losers have to listen to the winners go on about it non-stop for
those four hours. Then those three-four hours seem a lot more agonizing.
Since I was also taking a lot of business classes that semester, I had to hear
the conversations about West Brunswick heading to Nationals. My confidence
decreased after feeling I wasnt good enough. Thats when I knew something
had to change.

Taelen Wilson
Professor Arnold
UWRT
16, September, 2015

The DECA advisors held role-play practices, and allowed students to

take practice test online. I can remember going to almost every role-play and
making sure I knew the vocabulary to analyze the questions. It became a
very important aspect of my life, I had a completely new attitude. If someone
wanted to beat me, it was going to be a challenge. Many do not understand
the intensity of DECA until actually competing and having to be the best out
of your judges panel. I knew I was going to be ready, there was no other
choice.
The next academic year I joined DECA as soon as membership opened,
and I became very active. Even though I was not an officer I wanted to be
depended on, and wanted it to be known how good I could be. The club
started preparing for regionals, its not such a big deal but it still shows
students where they stand. I did a team event my junior year, thinking it
might give me an advantage. When taking the test we were allowed to do it
together, and that became helpful when a question did not make sense. Also
during the role-plays it allowed me to have another mind, to think of the
angle we were going to discuss the scenario.
As we were going in my palms were sweating, I unexpectedly got
extremely hot, everything I studied left my mind, and I had to look to Sylvia
to calm my nerves. She assured me that we had this, and then thats when
two guys from my school said jokingly Why are yall nervous? Youre not

Taelen Wilson
Professor Arnold
UWRT
16, September, 2015

winning it, we are. Snickering while walking away. My whole demeanor

changed, I did not go through all my training to have that trophy taken from
me. As we were going in the room with the judge I pushed my shoulders out
and firmly shook the judges hand while introducing my partner and I as their
new vice presidents.
Good morning sir, my name is Taelen Wilson and this is Sylvia Craig
your new vice presidents
Good morning. Lets get to business. How are you fixing the situation
at hand? Sales are going down and we need it fixed ASAP.
Marketing. Market this brand in a completely different light, allow customers
to see the different uses that this product holds. Your advertisement has not
been to its full potential but we can take it there, and help sales increase
drastically.
The judge looked at us and slightly smiled, and continued to ask the
questions that were present on his paper. We continued to answer
confidently and make sure the judge saw our visions for the company like
we did. As we got up and shook the judges hand goodbye with much
appreciation for their time. We handed him our business card in case any
questions came up. The weight of the world was suddenly off my shoulders.
After lunch we go into an auditorium for the awards segment of the day.

Taelen Wilson
Professor Arnold
UWRT
16, September, 2015

Finally, our event was up and that was it Sylvia and I were called for highest
test scores. We cheered and clapped for ourselves, while walking up stage.
Then the role-play portion of our event was being called and again our
names were called. At that moment I knew we were going to be finalists for
the whole event. We were called on stage, ten teams our stage as the last
finalists in the whole event and the top four receive trophies. The announcer,
called the fourth, third, and second none of that were my partner and I.
Feeling discouraged I look at her and said at least we beat the boys who
doubted us earlier. Thats when I heard, and your first place winners is the
team of Wilson and Craig. I was ecstatic, I grab her hand and run to our first
place trophies. In that moment and that day we were the best out of 125
other competitors. While walking off stage, our advisors run to hug and
congratulate us. Thinking about the amount of hard work and dedication that
went into my one trophy and three medals, made everything else seem
mediocre.