International Business DECA Competition

The Big Dream

For entrepreneurs, the prospect of making something BIG happen and living a dream makes the quest to achieve it very appealing, as by nature they are visionaries and risk takers. The Dream Big Competition was born out of this sort of dream. Often, the question of where this desire to create something new and exciting comes from is raised. Some people believe the motivation is money, while others would argue that more importantly, it is about the adventure that the quest brings. One thing is certain, an entrepreneur will never live a life of predictability; the challenges and obstacles to overcome always keep them dreaming.

The goal of our competition is to open students up to the world of an entrepreneur by engaging them in an activity that pushes them into real-life business situations.

The day will begin at the Marriott Eaton Centre in Toronto with a breakfast and a guest speaker to kick off the event. Students will be placed into crews and given an activity to plan and execute. Since there can only be one grand prize winner, individuals will be judged based on their involvement and contribution to their group, as well as their group's final product. The activity will have three stages with feedback given by the judging panel at each stage. Moreover, students will be required to venture out into the city to complete aspects of the Dream Big Competition. This event is not for the weak of heart! A lot is at stake and the competition will be stiff- students will have to have that fire in their belly if they hope to take home the grand prize (and bragging rights!)


The “Dream Big” Event

Scholarship Awards

Time and Date: 8:30 am Saturday May 1st
Location: Toronto, Marriott Eaton Centre

Itinerary

  • 8:30 am: Registration and Breakout Breakfast
  • 9:00 am: Keynote Speaker and introduction to event
  • 9:30 am: Stage I – Crew and Plan
    • - Students are assigned to their crew and given DREAM BIG focus assignment
    • - Complete scope and proposal
  • 10:30 am: Stage II – Lion’s Den Review
    • - Students’ submissions are reviewed by business leaders and judging panel
    • - Students revamp Action Plan
  • 11:30 am: Stage III – Taking it to the Streets
    • - Students will be taking their plans to the streets of Toronto to see if they can deliver!
  • 2:00 pm: Stage IV – Pulling it all together and "Pitch it"
    • - Students will be given time to pull their media and information together and design a presentation to 'Pitch' their DREAM BIG idea.
    • - Presentation will be conducted by all crews. The top 5 crews will move on to the final pitch to compete for the grand prize.
  • 4:30 pm: Closing Comments

How to Apply

Step by Step:

  • Step I
    Complete the DECA Competition Scholarship application form
  • Step II
    Mail your latest transcript to MEI International Academy, 15816 Hwy 50, Caledon, L7E 0A3
    (This transcript must include your grades from grade nine onward.)
  • Step III
    MEI will contact you by April 26th regarding your standing in the competition.
  • Step IV
    If accepted into the competition you will be given an access code to the day’s event and helpful hints on how to prepare.

Guidelines

Qualifications:

  1. Students must be over 16 years of age.
  2. Students must be in grade 11 or 12 and a current student at a high school in Ontario.
  3. Applications must be completed by April 23th.
  4. Students must submit a copy of their latest high school transcript.

Winners

The winners will be announced here.