Congratulations to the De La Salle Collegiate DECA team on an exceptional performance at the January 10, 2026, DECA District Competition, hosted at Anchor Bay High School.

 

A total of 49 De La Salle students competed across a wide range of business, marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship events—breaking last year’s participation record of 44 students. Of those competitors, an impressive 38 earned District Championship titles, surpassing last year’s record of 26 champions.

 

Notably, 100% of participating seniors (19 of 19) captured District Championships and will advance to the DECA State Competition March 5-7, along with the other district champions. https://mideca.org/conferences/scdc/

 

DECA Coach Dennis Koch credited the program’s success to strong community and family support.

“Today could not have happened without the tremendous support of Christian Financial Credit Union, as well as the parents who volunteered as chaperones, judges, and event coordinators,” Koch said. Representatives from CFCU regularly assist students with role-play practices, providing valuable real-world insight.

 

Koch also praised the students’ leadership and commitment, adding, “Finally, a shout-out to our students, including our DECA team leader, senior Evan Kelley.”

 

Evan competed in Financial Consulting, an Individual Event. In the role-play, he was quizzed on how he would manage financials for a small art business. For this event, he had to prepare a slide show, and then presented the income, balance, and cash flow statements, and then how to manage the business's growth. The total presentation, and judge questioning, took 15 minutes.

 

Evan competed in that category in 2025, and won the District Championship, and won the State Championship. At the International competition in Orlando, FL, at the end of April, he didn't make it out of the first round, but has high hopes to become an international champion this year. 

 

District Champions – Juniors

The continued growth and success of the DECA program at De La Salle Collegiate reflects the school’s commitment to leadership, professionalism, and real-world learning. Congratulations to all of our student competitors, and best of luck at the State Competition!