According to the calendar, it’s still summer, but Mr. Dennis Koch ‘94 is already looking ahead to December 2025 and the 2025-2026 DECA Competitions. 

Koch is looking to double the number of students participating in DECA and double the number of students who qualify for the district, state, and national competitions. At the group’s initial meeting right after Labor Day, nearly 100 students - from all four grade levels - attended the introductory meeting. 

Some statistics from the 2024-205 school year

• In November 2024, 42 students who took the online testing portion qualified for the January 2025 in-person district competition at Lake Orion High School. 
• 28 of the 42 qualified for the March 2025 state competition in downtown Detroit
• 3 of the 28 qualified for the April 2025 national competition in Orlando, FL

For the 2025-2026 school year, DLS has been placed in a new district and will be competing in December 2025 against other schools at Anchor Bay High School. 

“Moving to the Anchor Bay District gives us a chance to compete against all the schools in Macomb County and a chance to show everyone how good our De La Salle students are,” Koch said. “I’m not looking to be one of the best teams in the county. I want to be one of the best teams in the state!” 

The 2026 state competition is March 5-7 at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit.

Koch initiated the DECA program at DLS back in 2014 and has had over a dozen students qualify for national competitions. 

Recent national qualifiers include Nolan Kas-Mikha, DLS ‘25, who is now at Stanford, and George Gardey and Calvin Bacall, DLS ‘24, who are both at the University of Notre Dame. 

Koch notes that all of the DECA preparation is outside of class, and that some schools offer DECA as an actual class. 

“I’m so proud of our kids who work hard to compete, and continue to be outstanding students with difficult schedules that include Honors and Advanced Placement courses,” Koch said. “And many students are also athletes and participants in other activities such as Robotics. This is all part of the De La Salle experience.” 

Koch is not all about winning, however.

“I want kids to participate, to enjoy competing, and to have fun!” 

Koch is creating more of a “team atmosphere” this year, adding numbers to the team t-shirts, along with sponsor names, doing community service, and going to a Pistons’ game - “like a team.” 

Koch has secured the assistance of Christian Financial Credit Union (CFCU). Not only does CFCU provide financial support, but CFCU employees with experience in a variety of the DECA categories also assist in competition preparation. 

“CFCU has been integral to our success,” Koch said. Christine Quitter, CFCU Vice-President of Community Outreach, shared this comment from Jeanette Kennedy, who heads the CFCU Education Team. 

“The Education team at Christian Financial Credit Union has had the privilege of working closely with Dennis Koch and the DECA team at De La Salle Collegiate High School. Through interactive role-plays, one-on-one coaching, and real-world scenario practice, our team has had the pleasure of helping students build their confidence and sharpen their communication skills. 
 
“This partnership not only supports the students’ success in competition but also reinforces the value of leadership, problem-solving, and professional development that will serve them well beyond DECA. We hope to continue supporting them for years to come!”

DECA is not the only business-related activity offered at DLS. 

Koch has also established annual participation in the Federal Reserve Challenge, a program that runs every February and March. 

Pic:
Mitchell Scott
Michael Azzi
Aiden Elher
Gabe Enghasuser
Paul Thacker
Glenn Acker
Ender Straughen
Evan Kelley