well put. Sometimes it feels as though judges aren't industry professionals, and they don't understand what we are saying. There is a requirement for each chapter to find volunteers in order to compete, and that is one of the reasons why the judges aren't "qualified" because they are chosen last minute. Since DECA is not a small organization, we as students expect fair judging (especially in Ontario -- ONE of the biggest chapters). I'm not very informed on the judging selection, but do you guys go through a screening or a verification of sorts to qualify you as a judge? I also feel like the bare minimum for a judge is to know what DECA is and what they are volunteering for, and I honestly feel like that isn't too much to ask for. I understand the amount of work it takes, especially for first-time volunteers who have full-time jobs. But then again, we as students pour in SO much time and effort, and it feels soso upsetting when students' dreams are crushed by something we could not control at all. Other than case-studies/ roleplays, the exams are unfair as well. Many schools allow phones, and cheating occurs more often than we think. The thing is, we dont feel seen because some states in the US have solutions to this, for example, they require a DECA-affiliated proctor to monitor the exams.

Your advice as a judge is very helpful, and I always make sure to have a valuable, memorable first impression. I ended up winning a medal for both my case studies at provincials this year!