#DECAATTPROJECT
YEAR IN REVIEW JULY 2016 - JUNE 2017
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE #DECAATTPROJECT YEAR Through a collaboration between AT&T and DECA, AT&T volunteers embraced #DECAATTProject and the DECA Inc. theme for the year, ‘Own Your Future.’ By engaging with students from dozens of schools through a variety of events volunteers were able to achieve Aspire Mentoring Academy’s (AMA) mission of increasing high school graduation rates. One student said, “As a freshman, I wasn’t motivated, and I felt as if my school had nothing to offer. As a sophomore, I was placed in a marketing class and discovered DECA. Thanks to #DECAATTProject, I was able to find motivation within myself, and I learned many useful skills that will help me in the future. I discovered career paths and the project opened me up to new experiences. It changed my mindset as a high school student, and I am forever grateful.” The data, stories and photos included in this report tell the story of the third year of #DECAATTProject and highlights events and accomplishments that contributed to the success and growth of the project.
THE PROJECT BY THE NUMBERS The project served a total of 7379 students throughout the year. Of those, 4622 students engaged in mentoring activities at local, state or national DECA competitions or special #DECAATTProject events described throughout the report. The additional 2757 students were participants in one of the 28 schools in the formal programming of #DECAATTProject. The cohort of students is described as follows:
81
%
Received free or reduced meals
17
%
Were ‘at-risk’ for attendance
17
%
Were ‘at-risk’ for academic performance
51 49 78 %
Male
“ 2
%
Female
%
Self-reported minority population
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Every time I talked to someone that I didn’t know, I would get scared and forget what I was talking about. Being in #DECAATTProject helped me gain more confidence while speaking with other people. With the skills that I’ve learned, I feel more prepared for adult life after high school. Thank you for being a life changer, not just to me, but to many other students for the opportunities provided for us.” - Shyam, Akron Public Schools Marketing Student of the Year, DECA Student, Ohio
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
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%
Were ‘at-risk’ for behavioral issues
I never would have thought DECA would change my outlook on life. Before #DECAATTProject, I honestly wasn’t motivated for the rest of my years in high school or even anything. I have learned many things such as leadership skills, business qualities and how to have a positive outlook on everything”. - Janet, DECA Student, Pennsylvania
PROJECT IMPACT ON STUDENTS In collaboration with DECA partner, the National Research Center for College and University Admissions (NRCCUA), students in #DECAATTProject completed surveys designed to determine the impact of the project on students’ college and career plans and their readiness for each. The impact surveys show that DECA participation motivates students for the future. The results include:
89
%
86
%
Attained 21st Century Skills: collaboration, communication, creativity, & critical thinking skills
Reported that DECA participation academically prepared them for college and a career
81
%
78
%
Reported that DECA participation influenced their career plans
Reported that DECA participation influenced their college plans
#DECAATTProject students indicated that through their participation in DECA, they are prepared to become leaders as evidenced in these results:
88 88 84 %
Connected school to the real world
%
Empowered me to become an effective leader
%
Helped me recognize the benefit and responsibility of community service
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
“
#DECAATTProject gave me knowledge and experiences on how to make my future better. It has prepared me for my career and doesn’t matter if I do a job or open my own business”. - Kamal, DECA Student, Texas
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AT&T VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT & SATISFACTION Throughout the year, 1028 AT&T volunteers engaged with students for a total of 136,498 hours. Volunteers supported DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program by participating in a variety of events in schools, at AT&T work sites and at DECA conferences. Students benefitted from interactions with volunteers because of their diverse backgrounds. Experiences shared by the volunteers were based on their work areas of expertise. Volunteers from multiple levels of the organization, across business units and members of several employee resource groups, participated in 168 mentoring events. Many volunteers had multiple and frequent interaction with small and large groups of students. The volunteers were trained prior to each event and reported a high level of satisfaction when surveyed.
98
%
of volunteers stated they would volunteer with a DECA event again
98
%
of volunteers stated they would recommend volunteer DECA activities to their colleagues
NEPRIS The continued use of this cloud-based social platform added incredible value to #DECAATTProject. All teachers utilized the provided licenses to connect with industry professionals from across the country to bring real world relevance to the DECA classrooms. Students benefitted from a combination of live and recorded events, totaling 62 sessions throughout the school year. Additionally, Nepris was used as a communication tool for project management staff to connect with project participants throughout the year. Operational and aspirational topics were agenda items for DECA advisors as they connected with colleagues and shared best practices.
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The year ended on a high note with a good Nepris session. In fact, we talked to the presenter about doing some coaching of students on a more regular basis for store-related projects next year and he really liked the idea. That could be a good use of Nepris and is in line with the goal of increasing the mentoring of students on DECA projects.” - Alana Vinther, DECA Advisor, Global Connections High School, SeaTac, Washington
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
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The DECA team really did a great job presenting cyberbullying to Zucker Middle School students. So good, I was taking notes that I could use on my next presentation at work. It has been an honor and a pleasure working with the RB Stall DECA students this year. Watching the students develop their business skills, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a few of them or all the students working with AT&T one day. - Calvin Battle, Senior Technical Project Manager – VoIP & Core PMO (USP/VoIP), AT&T Ambassador, Aspire Mentoring Academy, South Carolina
PROJECT OUTREACH DECA students, AT&T volunteers and project supporters shared project accomplishments through their use of the hashtag, #DECAATTProject, adopted last project year. Over 1.2 million impressions were recorded throughout this year. Over 19,000 attendees at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Anaheim were encouraged to use #DECAATTProject and #DECAICDC when posting to social media. The photos were captured and used to create the mosaic during the first two days of the conference. It generated tremendous interest as participants came frequently to view and photograph the mosaic in progress. The finished product was proudly displayed for the remainder of the conference.
PROJECT AWARENESS INITIATIVE In a collaborative effort, AT&T leaders in Georgia and DECA staff, worked together on a local event that attracted community leaders, elected officials and stakeholders from the participating schools. Documentation of the planning and execution of the event became a model for all #DECAATTProject schools to use for engaging media, including project stakeholders, and executing events at the local level. This reinforcement of the strong connection to business is a critical component of DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program. The model event was well received by external media and produced the following results:
Over 108,000 Twitter impressions
The potential audience for the press release was approximately 12 million
The press release landed on 217 sites nationwide (included 96 newspapers and 71 TV sites)
The positive impact of the project awareness led to invitations for #DECAATTProject students to present digital education and safety information to community groups of all ages.
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
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NEW PROJECT ELEMENTS #DECAATTProject continues to respond to interest from employee resource groups (ERG), business units and corporate initiatives. The following components were implemented this year.
DIGITAL YOU PROJECT Twelve schools in the southeast region participated in a Digital You pilot program. Students in the selected schools were trained by AT&T volunteers to deliver digital education and safety tips in their local communities. Through their training and practice, DECA students became subject experts and gained confidence in presenting the following topics: • Cyberbullying • Managing Your Digital Footprint • Protecting Identity, Data and Devices • Tablet and Smartphone Training The inaugural presentations took place at a Digital You kick-off event hosted by three high schools and held at Banneker High School in Fulton County, Georgia. In attendance to hear the important messages were middle and high school students, community leaders, members of Parent Teacher Associations (PTA), and seniors.
“
It was a pleasure to hang out with Ms. Thornton’s students at Hadley Park Community Center. They were great working with seniors in helping them become more familiar with their smart devices. We had a great conversation afterwards about presenting, interviewing, and things to help succeed in the corporate world. I look forward to next year to see what the students come up with.” - Charles McAdams, Acting Trainer, AT&T University, Nashville, Tennessee
Following the inaugural event, the 12 schools hosted 38 additional Digital You events in the spring. The events were held in schools, libraries, senior centers and community centers and reached over 1500 people. Audiences were diverse based on the topic and included students from all school levels, parents, seniors, community members and the general public. Based on the positive reception in the communities, plans have been made to continue presentations in the fall.
“
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I saw the looks on some of the kids’ faces and you could tell they were victims of bullying. I hope what we told them helps them out.” - Bryon, DECA Student, South Carolina
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
PRO BONO WEEK DECA was pleased to participate in AT&T’s Pro Bono week in late October. AT&T attorneys shared professional experiences with students covering topics including their education and career paths, the importance of contributions from attorneys to successful business operations and tips for success in the DECA Business Law and Ethics competitive event. A total of 15 attorneys participated in one of seven events nationwide with DECA students.
“
The attorney speakers were excellent and provided a history of AT&T and shared their personal career paths. The students were engaged and appreciated this opportunity.” - Lance Brookner, DECA Advisor, Alameda HS, California
“
The OASIS-DECA-ASPIRE partnership has been a win-win all around. This has proved to be a very successful initiative as we were able to reach out into the community and offer high school students valuable skills, resources and training for not only self-employment but also valuable leadership and entrepreneurial knowledge that they can take with them into any area or job they choose.” - Gayatri Seethamraju , PMP, IPVOICE ATNO Global Customer Service, ERG - OASIS National President
“LET’S START” ENTREPRENEURSHIP Through a collaboration with AT&T Employee Resource Group, OASIS (Organization of Asian Indians at AT&T), DECA students in eight cities participated in one of nine workshops focused on teaching entrepreneurship. Students heard from local entrepreneurs and experts who shared their knowledge about starting a business. The 800 students then had an opportunity to apply their learning as they developed a business plan and received assistance from the experts. Over 160 OASIS members contributed time and talent to this project.
#DECAATTPROJECT IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS In response to requests from educators, for the first time #DECAATTProject included students from three middle schools in three states. This testimonial, shared by Sandy Smith, DECA Advisor, Kentucky, is representative of all three middle schools. She describes the journey of a shy, quiet student who struggled to fit in with her peers. The eighth-grade student attended a DECA promotion presentation early in the school year and was excited but concerned with the cost. With the financial barrier removed by the generous contribution from AT&T, the ‘transformation’ of Cierra began. As a DECA member, she experienced many ‘firsts’ including a college visit, an overnight school trip and stay at a hotel. Cierra became part of a huge family—DECA. She now has increased confidence and a group of students she feels she belongs with. Her high school plans include a career pathway in marketing and has goals of becoming a local and regional DECA officer and competitor at the highest level of competition. Cierra, her family and teacher credit the support of #DECAATTProject for this transformation. In many ways, the transition to high school will be smooth and seamless for the over 150 middle school students fortunate to be participants in this model of middle school inclusiveness.
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
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“
The Pacific North West (PNW) oxyGEN Employee Resource Chapter not only appreciates volunteering our time to inspire and assist the students at Global Connections High School with applying for colleges, but the chapter is also inspired by the students determination and will to want to be on the right track after they graduate high school.” - Matt Riley, West Region DAS Project Manager, PNW oxyGEN DECA Mentoring Lead
TAKE #DECAATTPROJECT TO COLLEGE DECA students from three high schools benefitted from participation in pilot programs focused on college and career readiness. Two projects were coordinated and led by volunteers from a business unit and the other was organized by volunteers from the oxyGEN Employee Resource Group. More than 50 volunteers, including AT&T’s CIO, met monthly with cohorts of students as they mentored them on topics including time management, goal setting, communications, presentation skills and preparing for life after high school.
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It represents a great opportunity to give back some time and talents to our community. These kids need support and this is our chance to engage and help them develop the skills and capabilities that are important for their future.” - Jon Summers, CIO, Business Solutions, Technology Development
“
If it were not for my DECA advisor and AT&T’s oxyGEN mentoring program, I would not be where I am today. This program has helped me strengthen many skills with public speaking, working collaboratively, managing my time and so much more. I am very thankful that being a part of DECA has prepared me for life after I graduate high school. Through my DECA experience, I received a second family, a huge group of friends I could rely on for support and unconditional love. At the end of March, my mother passed away unexpectedly and I was completely devastated. My DECA chapter gave me the greatest amount of support I never really would have imagined. DECA has given me so much and has helped me turn my life completely around for the greater good.” - Excerpt from remarks shared at a DECA meeting by Armando, DECA Student, Washington
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
AN INSIDE LOOK AT #DECAATTPROJECT
“
“
I’m gratified to tell you that this program is already helping me with my daily decisions. I reviewed my time management sheet and realize how distracted my phone made me from doing the real-world stuff. At our last meeting, we discussed SMART goals and I feel way more organized and that’s thanks to having individuals who lead us to success. My group leader seems to always have answers to any doubts we have and she motivates us to reach where we want to go.” - Mayra, DECA Student, Georgia
AT&T Aspire has inspired me to always believe in myself, to always have hope in everything I do and to never be afraid to meet new people.” - Tina, DECA Student, North Carolina
It is with pride that DECA continues as a collaborator with AT&T to ensure that all students are prepared for college and a career after high school graduation. The #DECAATTProject model is co-curricular and supports 21st Century Skills and the Common Core Standards. As a team, AT&T ambassadors and DECA advisors in each market designed individual plans that: •
Identified needs and utilized talents unique to their local market
•
Employed DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program as their delivery model
•
Included valuable assessments of student outcomes and AT&T student mentoring hours
•
Collaborated with AT&T to identify and execute valuable communications efforts
•
Incorporated events and activities with AT&T Business Units and Employee Resource Groups
•
Engaged DECA’s robust delivery system to deliver turn-key volunteer opportunities for AT&T associates, managers and executives #DECAATTProject Year in Review
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THE SCHOOLS
Decatur High School, Decatur, AL (Huntsville area)
Ben L Smith High School, Greensboro, NC
San Leandro High School, San Leandro, CA
Seventy-First High School, Fayetteville, NC
Lyman High School, Longwood, FL (Orlando area)
Seventy-First Classical Middle School, Fayetteville, NC
Booker T Washington High School, Pensacola, FL
Cleveland Heights High School, Cleveland, OH
Thomas Jefferson High School, Tampa, FL
North High School, Akron, OH
Banneker High School, College Park, GA (Atlanta area)
George Washington High School, Philadelphia, PA
McNair Middle School, College Park, GA (Atlanta area)
Kensington International Business High School, Philadelphia, PA
Langston Hughes High School, Fairburn, GA (Atlanta area) Campbell High School, Smyrna, GA (Atlanta area) Green County Area Technology Center, Greensburg, KY Madison Park High School, Boston, MA
Oakhaven High School, Memphis, TN Pearl-Cohn High School, Nashville, TN Lyndon B. Johnson Early College High School, Austin, TX
Career Development Center, Jackson, MS Hinds County Career and Technical Center, Raymond, MS Riverview Gardens High School, St. Louis, MO
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RB Stall High School, Charleston, SC
WT White High School, Dallas, TX MacArthur High School, Irving, TX Global Connections High School, SeaTac, WA (Seattle area)
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
THE STUDENTS As expressions of gratitude, students from across the country voluntarily shared their stories about the positive impact the Aspire Mentoring Academy has had on their experiences as high school students and their decisions for the future. A student population that matched the AT&T Aspire Mentoring Academy (AMA) target audience.
MEET EMMANUEL Emmanuel is a child of first-generation parents who immigrated from Mexico. They both work two jobs and instilled in him the importance of working hard to achieve his goals. Emmanuel started working at Chipotle as a dishwasher at age 16. By age 17, he was promoted to service manager. “Becoming a service manager was a big accomplishment for me, not only because it gave me an opportunity to be a leader, but also because I was just 17, and realized that age would not prevent me from leading a whole team to give our customers their best experience,” Emmanuel said. “I have now been given the opportunity to move up as an apprentice general manager and eventually run my own store as a general manager.” Emmanuel credits #DECAATTProject, AT&T Aspire events at school and visits to AT&T work sites with exposing him to the many opportunities and experiences available in the world beyond Dallas. Working with AT&T mentors helped him prepare for DECA competition ultimately landed him the right to compete at the highest level of competition, DECA’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC). And, his increased confidence helped him to be elected to serve as President of his DECA chapter. Emmanuel’s story was featured on the Chipotle blog. He graduated in June 2017 with plans to attend community college while pursuing his dream of entering the Chipotle management program.
“
Being a part of DECA has helped me build my confidence and participating with AT&T has helped me overcome my shyness. Thanks to DECA and AT&T, I can interact with new people with more ease, not only at work but also in my everyday life. I want to thank AT&T for giving me the trust I needed.” - Emmanuel, DECA Student and Chipotle Service Manager, Texas
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WALTER’S STORY—EPILOGUE Last project year, Walter’s story was showcased as he described himself as the first in his blended family to graduate from high school. He saw #DECAATTProject as ‘a way out of the cycle’ and described it as lifesaving. “Freshman year is over, but where did the time go? I did it, I really made it and nothing can stop me now. The impact that #DECAATTProject had for me was very significant. DECA provided me the opportunity to have the confidence to pursue my dreams. Some of the things I learned in high school from DECA carried over, like confidence, public speaking and networking. My mentors at AT&T and DECA helped me understand the significance of these things. The greatest impact of AT&T Aspire Mentoring Academy was in my confidence and public speaking. Things like organizing rallies, running for student government senator, speaking on behalf of my fellow Wildcats would not have been possible without the skills I acquired. Being able to reach out and speak to anyone at a university of 11,000+ students was one of the key things that helped me survive freshman year. I saw many other students from different states and economic backgrounds drop out of Johnson & Wales University. Even though many thought I would be one of the statistics, I never had a day of doubt that I would not succeed there. The past year was a blur from meeting new people, advocating for myself and finding out who I am away from my city, Philadelphia. I am grateful beyond belief for the skills, support and most of all, the advice, from my AT&T mentors and DECA family.” Walter, rising sophomore, Johnson & Wales University
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The DECA competitions helped me keep my interviewing skills clean and swift. I received multiple job/internship offers for multiple career fields of my interest. That’s pretty significant if you ask me.” - Walter, rising sophomore, Johnson & Wales University
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
THE EVENTS AT&T volunteers and DECA advisors together planned and executed a total of 168 events throughout the year.
During the 85 visits to classrooms, volunteers: •
Delivered business-related presentations
•
Conducted role-play scenarios in preparation for DECA competition
•
Reviewed written DECA projects for competition
•
Shared career opportunities within AT&T
•
Conducted sessions related to preparing for college and career success
•
Evaluated resumes for successful job searches
During the 44 student visits to work sites, volunteers: •
Conducted interviewing skill sessions
•
Conducted tours of the work site
•
Collaborated with student teams to solve problems
•
Shared information about education and skills required for professional careers
•
Mentored students over lunch
During the 39 local, state and international events, volunteers: •
Judged industry-validated career events
•
Mentored students as they transition from high school to college and careers
•
Presented college and career focused workshops
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
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THE FIRSTS Student participants experienced many ‘firsts’ through participation in #DECAATTProject. Their experiences are represented below in order of numbers of students reporting their ‘first’.
1ST
1ST
STAYING IN A HOTEL
TRAVELING BY PLANE
1ST
ST 1RECEIVING
1ST
ST 1LYMAN HIGH
ST 1PHILADELPHIA
COMPETING IN DECA COMPETITION
TRAVELING OUTSIDE HOME STATE
ST 1WENT THE
ENTIRE YEAR WITHOUT BEING SUSPENDED
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COACHING FROM A BUSINESS PERSON
STUDENT RAN FOR A NATIONAL DECA OFFICE
PRESENTING TO A BUSINESS PERSON
SCHOOL HAD A STUDENT RECOGNIZED AT ICDC
It was a great feeling being on the national stage... DECA really changed my life. I am honored to represent a city (Philadelphia) that is often considered inferior.” - Nikos, DECA Student, Pennsylvania
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1ST
As chapter president it was amazing to see how many officers and members were excited to be a part of the #DECAATTProject. We all worked to make it perfect. I can’t wait to come back and see the impact AT&T can continue to make!” - Adriana, DECA Student, Florida
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
A PREVIEW FOR 2017-2018 #DECAATTPROJECT This incredible project is becoming even better as it continues to serve more students and include more elements. The plans for the academic year ahead include 18 states, 33 high schools and three middle schools. The #DECAATTProject will build upon the strength of the successful project model and expand the scope of the elements and is anticipated to include: •
Collaborating with AT&T business units and employee resource groups on special events and projects of interest to the employee groups and beneficial to students.
•
Working with select employee groups in identified cities to deliver a college and career readiness program through an intensified mentoring program.
•
Collaborating with AT&T volunteers to engage increased numbers of volunteers in large DECA events.
•
Expanding the number of students served from rural areas.
•
Enhancing the collaboration with AT&T external affairs staff to increase awareness of the project.
•
Collaborating with other non-profit organizations in the Aspire Mentoring Academy (AMA) and AT&T to achieve greater results with identified student populations.
The 18 identified project regions include the current 15 project states listed on page 10 of this report with additional sites in Colorado, Illinois and New Jersey. Participating regions and schools were jointly selected by AT&T and DECA staff. The selection criteria included student population matching AT&T AMA target audience to include students from underserved population and those from rural areas. As #DECAATTProject continues to grow, so does the number of opportunities available for AT&T volunteers. We look forward to greater success as a collaborator with AT&T as we prepare thousands of students to be college and career ready following high school
#DECAATTProject Year in Review
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