85% of Aralia Students Place in Top Writing Competitions
1. DECA
DECA (formerly known as Distributive Education Clubs of America) is one of the most well-known business clubs for high school students who aim to become leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. Founded in 1946, DECA has a strong presence in high schools and colleges across the United States, Canada, and other countries. Globally, DECA has more than 222,628 high school student members.
The organization hosts various competitive events that simulate real-world business scenarios, including:
- Role-Plays and Case Studies: Students take a multiple-choice career cluster exam and participate in a role-play scenario or case study. Career clusters refer to groups of related types of work, and each career cluster contains several career pathways. 4 career clusters in DECA include marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
- Prepared Events: Students complete a written project, presentation, and sometimes a career cluster exam in an event related to their field of interest, such as business operations research, project management, entrepreneurship, integrated marketing campaigns, or professional selling and consulting.
- Online Simulations: Students compete against other members in online business simulations to earn a spot in the international event. Examples of events are the Stock Market Game and Virtual Business Challenge.
Participating in DECA connects students to activities, competitions, scholarships, and networking opportunities with fellow club members and business professionals.
2. Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
FBLA is the world’s most prominent career and technical student organization, with more than 230,000 members in middle school, high school, and college interested in business careers. FBLA promotes student participation in conferences, competitions, and community service projects. The club also offers opportunities to earn scholarships and certifications.
Compared to DECA, FBLA focuses more broadly on business and leadership across fields, including accounting, business communication, information technology, and public speaking. FBLA’s competitive events cover a wider range of business-related topics, including technology and cyber security, public speaking, accounting, and academic testing. The competitions often include objective tests, presentations, and performance-based activities.
3. Business Professionals of America (BPA)
BPA is a career-focused organization that helps students develop professional and leadership skills in business and information technology. It hosts competitions and workshops related to workplace readiness and professionalism to prepare students for the workforce. In addition to competitions, the full BPA platform offers scholarships, webinars, fundraising opportunities, leadership training, and so much more. BPA competitive events go beyond typical business fields and include topics ranging from finance to information technology, marketing, digital communication, and design. The BPA platform also offers scholarships, webinars, fundraising opportunities, leadership training, and more.
BPA has more than 45,000 members across the United States and around the world, specifically many in the United States, China, Haiti, and Peru.
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4. National Business Honor Society (NBHS)
As an official division of the National Business Education Association, the NBHS is an opportunity for top-performing high school juniors and seniors who have completed or are currently enrolled in their third business course. Members must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and 3.5 across all business courses. The organization focuses on leadership, community service, and professional development.
Why You Should Consider Joining a Business Club
For students interested in business, joining a business club benefits their personal, academic, and professional growth. The clubs mentioned above provide a unique platform to dive deeper into your interests and help your college application stand out. Some of the key advantages offered by a business club are:
- Hands-On Experience: Competitions, projects, and simulations hosted by business clubs bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional scenarios. Students will tackle real-world business challenges such as managing a budget, creating a marketing strategy, or analyzing financial data.
- Networking: One of the most significant benefits of business clubs is the networking opportunities with peers and professionals in the field. These connections are invaluable for a student’s professional growth, potentially opening doors to internships, scholarships, and job opportunities.
- College Applications: Participation in business clubs demonstrates a student’s initiative, leadership, and interest in the field. For example, taking on management roles in these clubs shows your ability to lead team members and delegate tasks.
- Skill Development: You will gain skills that serve you well in any career, such as public speaking, financial literacy, critical thinking, teamwork, and time management, among many more.
What If Your School Doesn’t Have These Clubs?
If your school is not a chapter member of DECA, FBLA, BPA, or NBHS, there are still plenty of other ways you can engage in business, gain experience, and build relevant skills, such as:
- Establishing Your Own Club: Starting a business club at your school is a fantastic way to demonstrate leadership and organizational skills.
- Exploring Summer Programs: Look for business-focused summer programs or camps that offer hands-on learning experiences. Potential options can be found in 20 High School Summer Programs for Rising Sophomores.
- Joining Competitions: Participate in entrepreneurial competitions like pitch challenges or innovation tournaments, many of which are open to individuals and teams. Two outstanding business competitions are the Diamond Challenge and the National Personal Finance Challenge, and more can be found at 8 Business Competitions for High School Students.
- Starting a Small Business: One of the best ways to learn about business is by starting an enterprise yourself. Whether it’s a small online store, a service-based business, or a creative project, entrepreneurship will teach you about marketing, finances, customer service, and problem-solving. You can explore possibilities from 6 Unique Business Ideas for High School Students.
- Seeking Internships: Gaining real-world experience through internships or volunteer work will provide insights into the business world and help you build a professional network. You can look for internships at local businesses, through job shadowing, or by networking at local events. Read more about how to find internships at Complete Guide to High School Internships.
Aralia Business Classes
Aralia Education specializes in offering comprehensive business classes and competition preparation for students, including prestigious events like the Diamond Challenge. Our courses are meticulously designed to prepare young entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in competitive environments. We pride ourselves on our experienced instructors, who bring a wealth of expertise from top-tier educational backgrounds and real-world business experience. At Aralia, we prioritize both academic excellence and personal growth, ensuring each student receives the tailored support they need to thrive.
Intro to Business Competition
Aspiring entrepreneurs will learn to create, promote, and market a company to win over the judges in a Business Competition. Intro to Business Competition course is designed and taught by an M.B.A. professor and judge of graduate Business Pitch competitions. Topics include the differences between start-ups and small businesses, business ideation, designing business plans, environmental scanning, raising capital, developing budgets, establishing organizational structure, marketing and promotion strategies, persuasive sales pitches, and pitch-decks.
Diamond Challenge
Created by the University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship center in 2012, the Diamond Challenge provides a unique opportunity for 10,000+ teens to learn about entrepreneurship while putting their ideas into action.
