What is DECA? Music buffs and record collectors would im-mediately think of Decca Records. Educators and students, however, know it is an acronym for Distributive Education Clubs of America.

DECA is an organization operating within the school system, helping high school students learn the art of public speaking, as well as various facets of marketing.
As in Toastmasters, there is a speech contest in the program. Toastmasters are invited to judge both the prepared and the impromptu speech contests.
A Toastmaster judging these contests can feel at home. The judging form is almost a carbon copy of the Toastmasters International judging form.

DECA insists on using Toastmasters as judges. There are many opportunities for you to
judge a DECA speech contest, since there are various levels of competition. Remember! You can earn club management plan (CMP) credit for judging youth speech contests!

To sign up as a judge, contact David Muelbauer, State Supervisor, Marketing Education, Arizona Department of Education, at 542-5354.

Joan Makin, DTM, headed a similar effort this year for the State Department of Education, for its VICA program. VICA stands for Vocational Industrial Clubs of America. Sixteen Toastmasters judged this year, and Toastmasters have been asked to participate again next year. For more information on this program, contact Joan at 846-1648.

Science may never come up with a better office communi-cation system than the coffee break.
-Earl Wilson

When Ray Pruzzo, DTM, read the March 1989 Roadrunner article on District 3's Outstanding Toastmasters, he was startled. The listing started in 1972, but in fact Ray was voted by his peers
Outstanding District 3 Toastmaster in 1969.

Ray is not only arguably the first District 3 Outstanding Toastmaster, but also, according to his records, the only one to receive the honor by a vote of his peers. That accolade is now, and has been for many years, based on a point system.

The longtime active District 3 Toastmaster was selected Outstanding Area Governor in 1968
(an award also now made on a point system) and received a special citation from the 1970
District Governor. Currently Ray is Educational Vice President of VATCAT, and the first non-VA employee to join when the club was opened to the community in 1988.

Ray Pruzzo: still active, still serving, still... outstanding.

(Photo) Joanne Schlossner, CTM, Speakers Bureau Chairman.

(photo) Mary DiCerbo, ATM, danced with dad Mike DiCerbo, DTM, Immediate Past District Governor, at the Friday night affair.

(photo) Speech contestants Sal Salisar and Ed Brown looking happy to have come so far.