TO: State DECA Participants and Parents/Guardians
FROM: Chapter Advisor
DATE: January 30, 2018
SUBJECT: Michigan DECA State Career Development Conference
ENC: Michigan DECA Dress Code
DECA Code of Conduct and School Permission Slip for signature
***NOTE: All highlighted text needs to be edited to reflect your local information/needs.***
Congratulations!! Your son/daughter’s hard work has enabled them to compete at the Michigan DECA State Career Development Conference on March 9-11, 2018 in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The purpose of this informational letter is to answer questions about the conference such as transportation, costs involved, etc. as well as to ensure that we have parent/guardian signatures on all necessary documents.
Transportation/Time:
Transportation to and from the State Conference / Detroit will be by charter bus. No personal cars are driven to/during the conference. All of the DECA competition on Friday and Saturday, as well as Friday’s opening session, Saturday evening’s entertainment session and Sunday’s closing and awards session will take place at Cobo Center. Cobo Center, which is a 10 minute ride on the Detroit People Mover (a station is near our hotel, and one in Cobo Center).
Should it become necessary for a student to leave the conference, special arrangements will be made through the advisor, principal and parent.
Hotel:
We have not yet been assigned to a hotel. There are six hotels that DECA chapters will be staying. As soon as we know which hotel we have been assigned in mid-February, I will let you know the address and phone number of the hotel.
Costs:
The cost breakdown for this conference is:
Registration (materials, awards, two meal vouchers, to be used at Cobo’s food court) $ 80.00
Hotel (based on $150/night for 2 nights divided by 4 people/room +$ 75.00
Transportation (student deposit toward chartered bus) +$ 50.00
Grand Total =$205.00
Less Chapter Contribution - $100.00
Total to be paid by the student =$105.00
This amount MAY be supplemented by DECA fundraising money. A registration deposit of $50.00 is due by February 1, 2018. The final payment (less any chapter fundraising contribution) is due by February 28, 2018.
Meals/Spending Money:
Michigan DECA will give each student two meal vouchers for the Cobo Center food court. These can be used towards any meal the student wishes during the weekend. All other meals will be the responsibility of the student, so plan on bringing some spending money. Meals at Cobo Center range from $7-12.
Michigan DECA Alumni will be selling conference t-shirts, and conference vendors might also have items for sale, which are all optional costs.
Code of Conduct:
All school rules apply at the conference and any violation will be dealt with accordingly. Michigan DECA’s Code of Conduct rules will also apply. Please sign the attached Code of Conduct and School Permission Slip and return the forms by: March 1, 2018. Students will not be able to participate at the State Conference without these signed documents.
Violations will result in the student being sent home at the parents’ expense. Further, anyone failing to follow the Code of Conduct may subject their entire school delegation to being sent home at the individual’s expense. Additionally, should a student be sent home for disciplinary reasons, no refund will be made. It is imperative that the phone number you provide on the enclosed School Permission Form be a number where we can reach you in case of emergency.
Curfew/Security:
Each student will be given a room assignment and will be expected to be in their assigned room by curfew each night of the conference and remain there until 6:00am. The conference hotels and Michigan DECA have hired security personnel during this conference to ensure the participant’s safety. Conference delegates are not allowed to have visitors who are not guests of the hotel. Anyone found in the halls after curfew will be taken to the security office to establish their identity. If the person is not a guest of the hotel, that individual could be arrested for trespassing and turned over to the Detroit Police. Safety and security are taken very seriously.
How to Dress:
Students will need to wear professional dress clothes during much of the conference. During the entire weekend - with the exception of Saturday night’s activity, students will need to be in professional business attire.
Attached is the Michigan DECA dress code. Students should be dressed as office professionals: dress shoes and hosiery should be worn, young men must wear a collared shirt and necktie, young women may wear slacks, suits, or skirts and dresses, but they must be at least finger-tip length and have covered arms and shoulders. Students may not wear blue jeans or any denim material, athletic shoes, hats, sleeveless shirts, casual shirts, open-toe shoes or shoes without socks or stockings.
Again, please review the attached Dress Code when deciding what business attire to wear for the conference and do not forget to sign the attached Code of Conduct and School Permission Slip and return by: March 1, 2017.
What to Expect:
Events will run similarly to the District competitions. The major differences are that at the State Competition, students will compete in two role-play situations, and have an orientation meeting on Friday.
On Friday afternoon, students will need to attend an Event Orientation, and should check the schedule after check in for the time and place they will report. Participants in written events will present Friday afternoon/evening and are expected to have a pencil and a basic function calculator (workbooks, notebooks, handouts are not allowed and cell phones, smartphones, graphing calculators, tablets, smartwatches and PDA’s cannot be used as calculators or used at any time during prep time, waiting for judges or during competition. Use of these electronic devices may result in disqualification). All event orientation meetings and competition will take place in Cobo Center. The Opening Session will take place Friday evening at Cobo Center, and our school will travel to and from Cobo as a group. We will have a chapter meeting before curfew. I will announce the location when we are at the hotel.
On Saturday, students will have the opportunity to take the Math and Economics test. During the day, delegates will complete their two participatory events (role-plays). All competition will take place at Cobo Center. Saturday evening there will be an entertainment session at Cobo Center.
On Sunday, the Grand Awards Session for all events as well as the Introduction to the New State Officers will be at Cobo Center. Parents and family are invited to attend the awards session. As we get closer to the conference, a detailed time schedule for the awards session will be provided.
International Conference Notes/Planning Ahead:
If a student delegate qualifies for the International Conference, please make note of the following:
· The International Conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia on April 20-25, 2018.
· The costs for the conference will be around $1000.00 per participant which includes flight, ground transportation, lodging, registration, some meals and registration.
o In the past, the school has been able to pick up a portion of these expenses. Depending upon the number of qualifiers for the International Conference, we are expecting your cost will be $400.00 for this conference.
o Please discuss with your family ahead of time if you will be able to attend the International Conference.
o If you cannot attend, I need a definite answer by Friday, March 16, 2018, since I need to inform Michigan DECA in order to contact your alternate.
o If you cancel or back out after the registration deadline, there will be hefty cancellation fees, so you will not be fully-refunded of what you have paid.
If you have any questions, please contact me at (provide your contact info.)
***NOTE: All highlighted text needs to be edited to reflect your local information/needs.***