Never change for the sake of change, rather change for the sake of the betterment of society and the community surrounding you. The introduction of our high school, Gallatin High School posed some challenges for the admittedly large student body our school holds and educates. During the last four years, a number of students have stepped into leadership positions in order to grow and expand our unique school culture and create our very own traditions. Some of these have been done through the student council by organizing spirit weeks and pep rallies, special events for seniors, and our student section at football games; something every school strives to accomplish. We have become a beacon of community and spirit, but have also managed to produce some of the most academically intelligent and accomplished students of our town. One such reason for this is the multitude of education-based clubs with the intent to help students grow and learn about what they might hope to do after high school. Some of these clubs include HOSA, Science Olympiad, Speech and Debate, FCCLA, and DECA.

One of the leaders in our school this year and in years past is a senior by the name of Cole Woodword who this year applied and got the position of DECA state officer. While Montana does have other state officers, Woodward’s application and achievements are undeniably impressive. The first DECA state officer our school had was Stevie Voigt, the older brother of our current student council president Scott Voigt, and now Woodward has stepped up into this leadership role. The process of becoming a state officer for DECA includes the application process, resume, and ends with a Zoom interview to make the final decision. As a state officer, Woodward is responsible for fundraising, having a goal of 3,000 dollars this year; community outreach; recognizing chapters and members that go above and beyond; helping other chapters and officers find ways to fundraise; and establishing DECA chapters at other high schools that may not have one. 

According to Woodward, he chose to pursue an officer position because he realized he really enjoyed DECA and wanted to go further with the club. Therefore, he took a shot in the dark and applied for the position. For Woodward, DECA has influenced the way he thinks and sees the world, enhancing his business perspective on most topics as well as inspiring him to most likely pursue a business or finance degree because of how much he enjoys the process. 

This last year, our DECA chapter had the opportunity to take our team to DECA state and nationals with Woodward and his project partner Ravenor Davion, presenting a proposal on cyber security and preventing scams on our elderly population. He even managed to tie the project to his grandfather, invoking some sentiment from the judges. With all aspects of this project the team managed to place top ten at DECA nationals, a competition that holds teams from all over the country and world. 

It is for this reason that DECA is such an important club, not only to the individuals in our own chapter, but to students in chapters all over the world. It allows students to, in Woodward’s words, “embrace the change” especially in such a different and daunting part of their lives. Don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t underestimate your fellow students. Who knows how amazing they may turn out to be.