She Built a Winning DECA Chapter From Behind a Screen 

If you ask Zahraa what sparked her love of business, she’ll tell you about a 10-minute timer, a randomized business crisis, and a panel of judges waiting for a solution. 

Zahraa, a senior at Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy (MGLVA), is the president of one of the nation’s few virtual Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) chapters. To the uninitiated, DECA is essentially the varsity sport of business—a high-stakes arena of marketing, finance, hospitality, and management competitions. And Zahraa is one of its most decorated athletes. 

Her journey to becoming a two-time DECA State Champion, National Award Winner, and International Finalist was, admittedly, a bit mercenary. She joined not for a love of corporate strategy, but simply to attend in-person conferences and travel with her classmates.  

The Sport of Strategy 

Zahraa found her niche in “Entrepreneurship,” widely regarded as one of DECA’s most competitive and unpredictable events.  

Unlike written formats where students can polish a presentation for weeks, the Entrepreneurship role-play is a test of rapid-fire problem solving. Competitors take a 100-question exam on business concepts, then face a randomized scenario—a consulting problem, a supply chain breakdown, an HR dilemma, an ethical crisis, etc. They have exactly 10 minutes to prepare a solution, and another 10 to pitch it to a judge. 

Zahraa’s ability to think critically under pressure paid immediate dividends. As a freshman, she won the State Champion title and repeated as a sophomore. By her junior year, she was an International Finalist.  

Alongside the role-plays, she took on the Merit Award Program. What starts as “Bronze” level mini-projects evolves into the “Gold” tier—a portfolio of five major projects, each roughly 20 pages long. Going for Gold in 10th grade, Zahraa presented at states, qualified for nationals, and walked away with a national win. 

The Virtual Startup 

While Zahraa was busy collecting DECA hardware, she was mastering a different skillset at MGLVA: remote leadership.  

Leading a student organization is challenging in any environment, but doing so without a physical hallway to recruit members is a masterclass in modern management. There are fewer than 10 virtual DECA chapters in the United States, meaning Zahraa and her team had to write their own playbook. 

Under the guidance of her advisor, “Mr. O,” the MGLVA chapter transformed the virtual environment from a logistical hurdle into a competitive weapon. 

To bridge the communication gap, the chapter operates less like a school club and more like a distributed tech startup. They utilize Microsoft Teams for real-time file sharing and strategy sessions, while leveraging a chapter Instagram account—launched and managed by Zahraa—to drive engagement and recognition.  

This digital fluency gave them an edge. While traditional schools were limited to classroom hours for practice, MGLVA virtually brought in business mentors for weekly role-play practice and exam prep. Zahraa cites this personalized mentorship as a major advantage over many in-person programs.   

The chapter’s campaign record under Zahraa reflects all of it. MGLVA has earned Thrive Level recognition — given to chapters that complete at least three of DECA’s national campaign milestones — in the first round for three consecutive years, the only virtual chapter in Michigan to do so. They also completed the Ethical Leadership Campaign, which approximately three schools in the entire state finished. 

Community Beyond the Screen 

Beyond competition and campaigns, Zahraa has turned the chapter into a hub of activity that extends well past DECA’s competitive calendar. 

This year’s slate includes a card-writing campaign for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital—Zahraa set a goal of 75% member participation—along with school outreach presentations, alumni interviews, small business spotlights, and a Shark Tank-style pitch competition among members.  

Zahraa recently attended the MSU DECA Leadership Conference, a chapter officers-only event in East Lansing. Over two days, she participated in workshops on investment banking, AI and business strategy, public speaking, and personal branding, and heard from professionals including a retired PwC partner and a panel of collegiate DECA officers.  

Her biggest takeaway? Treat technology as a tool worth mastering, not a disruption to fear. 

Ready for the Future 

This fall, Zahraa was accepted to the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, where she plans to double major in Business and Economics with a marketing concentration. It’s a path she traces directly back to that first DECA competition as a freshman, when a student with no business background discovered she could think through a problem she’d never seen and make a case for her answer. 

Before she graduates, Zahraa is spending her senior year mentoring the sophomore who will succeed her as chapter president — teaching her the campaigns, logistics, and rhythms of leadership. It’s the same model that shaped Zahraa’s own start, when she shadowed the president before her. 

“DECA gave me a community and a direction,” Zahraa said. “I know how to walk into a room now and trust that I belong there.” 

To learn more about student life and extracurricular opportunities at Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy, click here. 

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