The North Kansas City High School chapter of DECA is revamping, recreating and repurposing the idea of community service and involvement. DECA is a club that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges internationally. Eddie James advises Northtown’s DECA chapter.

However, he insists that, “the students do most of the work, they come up with all the business ideas.”

One of the most notable projects that DECA has taken on this year is helping Hillcrest Transitional Housing. The school has been doused in bright colors and is in the spirit of helping those less fortunate. They have been doing this through the selling of a five-dollar tie-dyed t-shirt. The t-shirts were quite popular among Northtown students, making the business idea a huge success, as 100 t-shirts were sold. Students are often seen wearing the t-shirt they purchased from DECA, but what they usually don’t know is how the money from the t-shirts is used.

“The money from each t-shirt was used to provide a pillow for Hillcrest Transitional Housing. Pillows are something that each person at Hillcrest Transitional Housing needs, so the money was used to provide 100 pillows to people in need,” said James.

In conjunction with selling the t-shirts, DECA hosted a party during advisory; the party had snacks, basketball, button making, games and music, with donations also going to Hillcrest. The party was hosted in gym two, with a remarkable turnout; gym two was practically overflowing with students. DECA takes on many projects throughout the school year, but this one was particulary successful.

Braxton Medillin, a sophomore at Northtown, is in charge of the Hillcrest project. It is considered a public relations project; the goal of these types of DECA projects are to demonstrate the skills and knowledge needed in planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating a single public relations campaign focused on any topic or subject.

The most rewarding part of this project has been, “seeing people who have nothing become completely self-sufficient and being able to give back to my community,” said Medellin.

Hillcrest also owns a thrift store, where proceeds go to help support Hillcrest Transitional Housing. Members of DECA helped volunteer there a few times, as well as planting fruit trees at the Transitional Housing site.

Another project completed by DECA students was the creation of a coloring book. The average age of a homeless person is seven years old, so the students decided they wanted to help the kids at Hillcrest feel more comfortable and give them something to do in their free time.

DECA has succeeded in raising their profile greatly this year, here at school and in the community, especially through the Hillcrest project. This is mainly due to the great marketing skills that are taught to the DECA students.