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DECA Junior Leader:: Emma Krushinski

While most people took the coronavirus as a break from club, Emma Krushinski, Vice President of Woodland’s DECA chapter, has taken the early leave from school as a way to plan for the future.

Krushinski, who has been Vice President of the club for two years in a row, plans on being President of the club in her incoming senior year. It is very rare for a sophomore to be on the executive board of a club, but this as well as being Vice President her junior year has prepared her to be President her senior year.

“When you’re a sophomore and you have to direct seniors and say, ‘hey, I need you to do this,’ it’s kind of scary to do that, because you don’t feel like you have the power but you do,” said Krushinski. “ That kind of prepared me for this year to say, ‘No, you do have the power to do stuff’ and when you’re given that [power] people will listen to you. It’s kind of helped me realize that when you’re given that title of Vice President, people will listen, and it’s something that I’ve never really had a chance with before.”

Over the course of her years in DECA, Krushinski has learned a lot about leadership and business. In specific, she credits Eliza Smith, Mikayla Mastropietro, and Melissa Noble for teaching her what DECA is all about. 

“Eliza was one of the founders of DECA. She had a vision from the start and she just kind of showed how to get things done, and how to be productive,” Krushinski stated. 

She also noted the effect of past President, Mikayla Mastropietro, and current President, Melissa Noble, on the club.

“[Mastropietro] came up with new ideas of things that we could do, and she just showed me how to take a stressful situation of having to kind of figure out a new direction, and make it work. It was a big step for the whole club because we had a new president, new ideas of what was going to happen, and she was amazing,” said Krushinski. “Melissa was extremely hard-working and dedicated to so many new ideas. She worked so hard and we worked together a lot on coming up with new things that we wanted to do. She showed me how to just push through, and be creative with stuff.”

 As president she plans on continuing the tradition of the feedback project, as well as the annual helping hands event. Krushinski also plans on starting new fundraisers in order to widen the club’s positive impact on the community. 

Some of Krushinski’s future plans for the club include a bake sale, a cornhole tournament, a pasta dinner, and even a movie night if possible.

Krushinski plans on using her customer service and business she learned from DECA even once she graduates from Woodland by pursuing a career in either business or hospitality. She also hopes to put her skills into work by participating in the Disney College Program. 

“I’ve learned a lot in DECA about how to be good with people, and how to act with them. For example I work at the store most study halls, and I’ve learned how to talk with people and how to interact and make a connection with people,” said Krushinski. “I feel like that’s gonna be really important for what I do end up working in Disney over in the college program because I’ll be able to make that connection which is what Disney’s all about. It’s about having that personal connection between the guest and the cast member.”

Until Krushinski does become a cast member, she will continue to bring those business and hospitality skills with her into DECA next year at Woodland.

 

 

 

Photo credit:: Jake Veillette

 

Jess Vardon

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