Guest Post By: Madison Twyford and Jenna Frase

Ava Ongaro is an OOHS DECA alum who graduated in 2024 and now attends University of Kentucky. She won 1st place at Districts and qualified for ICDC in the Retail Merchandising Series.

What has been your journey since graduating from Orange?

“My journey since graduating from Orange has been exciting! I was blessed to be able to go out of state, to the University of Kentucky, where I am studying management and marketing.  I am currently a Sophomore, and am loving every minute of it. It feels like a dream turning into a reality, as I always aspired to study business and have that be my future career, and God-willing I am on that track! I have plans to graduate in May of 2028, and am greatly considering pursuing a career in digital marketing and media.”

What area of DECA was your favorite and why?

“The area of DECA that was my absolute favorite, was the actual competitions. There was nothing that could have better prepared me for real-world situations in business, as a high schooler at the time, than those DECA competitions. It was exciting, and nerve-wracking, but so rewarding to get the experience! It was truly so fun, and I am so thankful I decided to actually compete!”

How has your DECA experience helped you in your life/career so far? Biggest takeaways?

“My DECA experience has helped me throughout my life and career path since being apart of it, in many ways, but the biggest two are the communication skills and the confidence I gained, that has really shaped me into who I am and my path of life today.  I used to tend to get nervous to talk to anyone that wasn’t around my age or that I didn’t know well, and this DECA experience perfectly challenged me in those ways. I was faced with judges whom were completely randomized of course, and I was also able to work with peers and compete next to others that I wasn’t familiar with. This completely changed the way I communicate, and just made me much more confident in who I am and what I am capable of.  I now have so much more confidence and networking capabilities, all because of DECA.”

What is one piece of advice you would give current DECA students at OOHS?

“One piece of advice that I would give to current DECA students is to take it seriously. Take the whole process and competitions serious, because if you take advantage of the opportunities to practice for the real world as a high schooler, you will be much more prepared and ready going into to college. It is a big step, going from high school onto college and especially college into a career, so taking smaller steps early on is so critical. Be intentional with how you prepare for the competitions, and honestly, confidence is key. Even if you aren’t certain about your solutions or outcome, as long as you make it seem like the best possible finding, then you will succeed. But seriously- take it serious :)” 

Did your DECA experience influence your career path and future goals? How?

“My DECA experience definitely had a big impact on what I believe I want to do in the future and my goals for now until that time to head into the career world arrives. While doing DECA, I learned that I love the digital and retail side of marketing, as that was the type of competitions and role-playing I chose to focus on while competing. I just had a passion for it, which made the competitions and scenarios really enjoyable and exciting for me. I also love talking to people and since gaining my confidence through those DECA competitions, it is quite easier to talk to anyone that is an older professional in the business world- which I am so thankful for. It showed me that I do not want to be behind a desk all day in the future, but hands on with peers, leading the way to get things done! Lastly, it showed me that I love to take charge and that I would strive to have a bigger leadership role in my career in the future, as I do feel like during the competitions I was able to think fast and be efficient.”

What was your favorite DECA memory?

“My favorite DECA memory was finding out that both Ava C. and I qualified for nationals senior year! It was exhilarating hearing our names get called for the same event, and being able to represent Orange qualifying in the same category! It was really special being with all of the DECA members at states, and getting to bond with them in between actual competition times.”  

Why would you encourage students to take DECA?

“I would encourage students to take DECA because of every reason I said above. The skills it has allowed me to gain, for example as I said, confidence and communicational skills. I also just ended up getting really close with my fellow DECA classmates, and it really bonded us getting to go through it together. Lastly, it really gave me a glimpse into what the future could look like in marketing, and just working with other professionals in general, so I hold so much gratitude for my DECA peers and the whole experience. I almost chose not to do it, and without it, I feel like my future would not be the same and that I would be a much lesser point in my college to future career. DECA IS AMAZING!!!”