“Hey everyone,” Indiana Troupe said into the microphone, “it’s the voice in your head.”

Addressing the Wareham High School gymnasium, Troupe was responsible for announcing the sale of raffle tickets, sandwiches and everything in between at the first-ever DECA Craft Fair on Saturday, Nov. 19. 

Over 50 local vendors sold their art and crafts at the gymnasium during the Fair. It was sponsored by the High School DECA Club, which trains aspiring entrepreneurs in business skills. The club was responsible for making sure that the event turned a profit, which they would share when the event concluded.

“A misconception about DECA is that it’s just a business club,” said Troupe, a senior. “DECA takes students who are interested in a lot of different things, and DECA gives them skills that they can use in their careers. Every job is a business.”

Athletes, art students and drama club members alike are in the club, which teaches them public speaking, teamwork and leadership. The Fair was a project of the school’s Project Management class, taught by Lisa Cunha. By planning the Fair, organizing and marketing it, Cunha hopes that her students will learn critical thinking, communication skills and how to reach out to customers in a professional manner.

“I think it was very successful” Cunha said. “It was organized right from the beginning. Fabulous, excellent job.”

Clipboards in hand, project leads James Pinkham and Isabella Russo made sure the Fair went smoothly. Russo wants to be a doctor, and plans to use the management skills she learned in DECA to do her job well. Pinkham wants to do data entry for businesses.

DECA Club President Stoney Ferry said that many more fairs will follow in future years.

“We thought it would be a fun idea,” said Ferry, a junior, “especially for the holidays, and it’s turning out really great.”