Gateway to Honors 

An experience that I had before coming to college that was unique to me was participating in DECA competitions across the state of Georgia in my junior and senior year of high school. DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) is a club that operates on both high school and collegiate levels and builds students towards becoming greater leaders and entrepreneurs. This experience meant a lot to me because it took me out of my comfort zone and showed me that I could stand out in professional settings, and it also displayed to me that I could fulfill a leadership role which was completely new to me. Through these competitions, I was able to utilize use specific skills such as problem-solving, negotiation, and critical thinking to come up with a business strategy to present to the judges based on specific scenarios. This was completely new to me, and it helped me build my confidence in professional settings and I proved to myself that I could achieve my goals. In my very first competition, I placed in the top three and was able to move onto the state competition where I was recognized by my high school, my peers, and my instructor.