What Actually Works in the Room: Presenting a DECA Prepared Event! (with Harri SN)
Prepared events don’t reward improvisation. They reward intention.
When you walk in the room at your state conference or even the massive hall at ICDC, judges already know you have had weeks and months to get your presentation right. That means every word you say, every prop you use, and every decision during those 15 minutes will be judged as a deliberate action. They can easily tell the difference between someone who prepared seriously and someone who put this on the backburner until the night before.
As someone heading into his third year of prepared event competition, here’s what I did, what I’ve seen finalists do well, and what consistently separates top competitors from everyone else.
Script Your Presentation
The biggest mistake I see (and have done) in prepared events is students “practicing concepts” instead of a script.
Your presentation should be more or less scripted; maybe even memorized word-for-word. Structure it tightly enough that:
You know how you open your presentation
You know how to transition between sections
You deliver a solid closing section
Winging it works in roleplays - they are designed that way in nature. It does not work in prepared events. Judges expect polish. A clear script gives you confidence, consistency, and control over timing. Once you’ve practiced it enough, it stops being rehearsed and starts sounding professional.
If you are bad at memorizing, try having someone coach you through it and make you restart every time you mess up. If you can’t memorize a section, write it down on paper while you say it out loud. You’ll memorize extremely fast.
If you ever find yourself thinking about “winging it,” that’s a huge red flag.
Handouts and Props are Power Moves
Prepared events give you something rare, which is time to enhance your story. Obviously, you can walk into your presentation and have nothing other than your slides ready, but when done well, props and handouts are game changers.
Judges see multiple presentations an hour, too much in a day. Props and handouts do two main things. One, it gets them engaged with your presentation, and two, allows them to remember you.
Have handouts for each part of your presentation. Presenting your strategic plan? Give them a full timeline. Presenting your cost structure and budget? An itemized budget table does wonders. Unique value proposition? A table comparing you and your competitors seals the deal for the judge.
Now for the innovators out there. Some people (myself included) use tablets and computers to present something, whether that be an app or a video. If you’re going to present something digital, make sure you use something that looks visually appealing. This means no gaming laptops or school Chromebooks, rather an iPad or a laptop.
For handouts and paper-based props, order professional prints. Don’t go to your copier and make copies. Rather, print them on cardstock or high-quality paper at places such as OfficeDepot and Staples, and always have extras.
The key is relevance. You want judges to follow your logic more easily, stay engaged, and remember you after the presentation ends. Don’t bring something just to bring it. Every prop or handout should serve a purpose and reinforce your core idea. If it doesn’t add clarity, leave it in your hotel room.
The Decade-Old Question: Poster Board or Slideshow
One of the most underrated decisions in a prepared event is how you present visually.
Slideshow
Poster Board - Pros
Forces simplicity, cleanliness, and clarity
Easy for the judge to go back and reread
No last-minute tech issues
Slideshow - Pros
Clean visuals and charts
Business professional feeling is achieved
Easy to organize complex ideas
Can change last minute
Poster Board - Cons
Limited space if only using one board
Harder to show data
Can’t change once printed
Slideshow - Pros
Judges may read your slides: not very effective
Technology can fail
Less personal interaction
Now obviously, there is no better option universally. People using either slideshows and boards have placed at ICDC before. The best competitors choose the one that fits their project and presentation strengths, and then master it.
If you are going the poster board route, order your boards ASAP. Production and shipping takes time, which means delays can occur. Design your poster boards to make them visually appealing and non-redundant. One thing not to do: don’t cut and paste onto a poster board, and do not use a handwritten board. Judges look for professionalism and clarity, and these will not help your case.
If going the presentation route, design your slides to be engaging. Use meaningful transitions, limited text, and more visuals. Use a clicker when presenting to make transitions seamless. No wires, no clutter. Design your slides using Adobe Express, Canva, or Apple Keynote, and account for limited WiFi reception in the convention center. The first thing you need before your presentation is in fact, your presentation, so have an offline backup.
For either of these options, never read off of your slides or board. The judges can already read, so don’t be redundant. Instead, synthesize and expand on it.
Judges never score what you use. They only score how you use it.
What You Wear Matters
Always dress like you planned it. This sounds like a small detail, but actually isn’t. Regardless of whether you are a solo, duo, or trio group presenting, a coordinated dress code amongst yourselves and your project signals preparation.
It doesn’t have to mean matching suits exactly, but it does mean consistency in color, formality, and professionalism. When a team walks in looking unified and presents, judges subconsciously trust them more before a single word is spoken.
Coordinate color of blazer, slacks, tie/ascot, and shirt/blouse. If you are working with a business or have a unique idea for a startup, maybe even have a pin with their logo.
About pins. Wearing 1-2 pins is good, but never overdo it. Wear the same pins as well. In the past, I’ve gone with a simple silver DECA diamond and my company’s pin.
Practice for Calmness, Not Perfection
The best presenters are not flawless, but they’re unshaken.
The first two minutes into my state presentation, I stumbled over a transition twice, which caused an awkward moment. Instead of reacting, I calmly apologized and redid the transition. Judges know students are human. They expect confidence, not perfection. Stumbling once or twice isn’t a bad thing, but repeatedly might cause some eyebrows to rise. Practice your presentation until you can:
Recover smoothly from mistakes
Adjust pacing on the fly
Answer questions without scrambling.
If you’re like me and tend to speed up while presenting, take pauses throughout your section and slow down for effect. This helps clarity more than you think. Practice with all your visuals, standing up. Practice in front of people who make you laugh, who interrupt you. When competition day feels familiar, your confidence shows.
Even under pressure, you control your outcome.
Your Judge Is Human
Different judges have different types. Most DECA judges exude a “poker-face,” which is especially hard for you to judge if they liked your presentation or not. Some judges talk and ask questions, and some judges do not. If you feel like you have done everything right, and your judge doesn’t display a reaction, it doesn’t invalidate your perspective.
At the ICDC level, judges are especially trained not to react much and show emotion, which is why they might seem “cold.”
Your job: walk in there confident and leave confident.
If a judge asks you a question, be prepared to answer anything about your presentation. Know your content inside-out. The biggest compliment you can receive from a judge is, “I can tell you’re prepared and have worked on this for months.”
Final Thoughts
Prepared events are called “prepared” for a reason. They reward the effort you put in before competition day. Nothing should be accidental; not your words, not your visuals, not your presence.
If you want to get that coveted DECA glass, treat your presentation like a real-world pitch, not a school assignment. Judges aren’t just evaluating your idea. They’re evaluating your seriousness, your confidence, and your ability to perform.
Most important of all, stick to one color scheme. Ideally, your paper turned in previous to the conference should be the basis. Prepare your attire and presentation around these colors.
Script it. Design it. Practice it.
Then walk into the room like you belong there.
Because if you present like a finalist, you’ll be scored like one.
If you have any questions about prepared events, reach out to me on Instagram at @deca.harri, I would be glad to help out!
