The Secret to Growing Your CTSO? Start Inside Your Classroom!
Listen, I’ve been exactly where you are, trying to grow a program and wondering if anyone’s actually going to show up to the first meeting. In my first teaching job, I inherited a small but mighty DECA chapter. By the time I left that school three years later, we’d doubled our membership and brought home our first-ever first place trophy at DECA ICDC.
And here’s where the timing got wild… literally right after that big win, I got a call offering me the chance to come back to my alma mater to start a marketing program and a DECA chapter. (and I do mean RIGHT AFTER–As soon as I sat back down in my seat when my student came off stage! haha) Of course I said yes, but I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t insanely intimidated. I was starting from zero. No members. No history. No legacy or reputation to build on.
Everyone was asking “What’s DECA?” At the time, no one even knew what it was in my hometown.
Fast forward three years and that “little” chapter had become one of the top 10 largest in the state of Tennessee. We were growing every single year, knocking out chapter campaigns, and we had even expanded to a two teacher program. Not only that, we had made it to the national stage with our school’s first ever top ten finish!
It didn’t happen by accident. It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t because I was some magical teacher of the year. It was because I was intentional about treating my CTSO like a core piece of my instruction and making it part of my class every single day. How did I do it? I’m going to show you my exact strategy…
The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
Let’s start with the basics. CTSO stands for Career and Technical Student Organization. There are eight nationally recognized CTSOs: DECA, FBLA, BPA, FCCLA, HOSA, FFA, TSA, and SKillsUSA. These organizations provide opportunities for students to develop leadership, technical, and academic skills related to their future career path.
Most Career and Technical Education teachers will be responsible for advising a CTSO. Being an advisor can sometimes feel like a second full time job! You are wearing so many hats all of the time, and one of those hats is member recruitment.
If you’ve ever bribed students with donuts to come to a CTSO interest meeting before school and ended up with three kids in the room (one of whom only came because they were “accidentally” walking by) I feel you. It’s miserable to spend time hyping something up to end up showcasing your program to an almost empty room.
In my experience, I’ve found that recruitment gets a whole lot easier when you stop treating your CTSO like a bonus activity that happens after the bell and start weaving it into what you’re already doing during class. When your CTSO becomes part of your lessons, students start to see it as an integral part of your course. You get more members, yes, but you also get stronger instruction, a clearer sense of purpose and direction, and students who finally understand why what you’re teaching matters in the real world.
So, here’s where our mindset has to shift…
Extracurricular means something that happens outside of class, think sports teams, hobby clubs, or after-school activities. If students don’t already know someone involved, they may never take that first step to join.
Co-curricular means it’s tied directly to the learning that’s already happening in your classroom. When you pull your CTSO into your lessons, you’re making it part of the curriculum, not an optional extra. You’re showing students exactly how it connects to their classwork, career goals, and the skills they’ll use long after they graduate.
A co-curricular approach gives students a low-pressure, no-risk way to get involved. They will be doing the activities in their class anyway so might as well join and get involved right? Through this approach, students get to test-drive the CTSO experience, figure out if it’s for them, and hopefully love it enough to become a lifelong member. This is THE KEY to growing a chapter that can sustain its membership year after year.
Why Bringing Your CTSO Into Class Works So Well
Here’s the thing, when students see your CTSO as part of class, not an optional after-school activity, everything changes.
It turns awareness into belonging.
Most students aren’t going to join something they don’t understand. When you introduce your CTSO in detail in class, every single student gets a front-row seat to see what it’s about. Instead of “maybe I’ll check it out,” they’re already starting to get bought in.
It makes your content stick.
Competitive events are basically real-world problems wrapped up in a case study. When you use them in class, you’re teaching your standards and showing exactly where those skills are used outside of school. Suddenly, marketing, finance, or business law isn’t just something they’re learning to ace a test, it’s skills they are learning to help them win a competition, land a scholarship, or pitch an idea that matters.
It builds career identity early.
When students role-play as business owners, marketers, or entrepreneurs in your lessons, they start to picture themselves in those roles for real. Kids won’t be what they can’t see! Let them try on the role and solve problems in that role. That identity shift is a powerful tool for engagement and long-term postsecondary goal setting.
It’s more equitable.
Not every student can stay after school for a meeting. Bringing CTSO activities into class means everyone gets access to the same opportunities, skills, and exposure, not just the kids who have transportation or free time after the bell. We can’t exclude students from opportunities who may not have the same supports in place to attend after school events as their classmates. (This is my soapbox ya’ll!)
It gives you built-in, high-quality resources.
CTSO rubrics, scenarios, and event guidelines are ready-made for your standards. You don’t have to create new projects from scratch. You can adapt what’s already been created for you. That means less planning for you and more authentic learning for your students!
If you’ve never intentionally taught about your CTSO in class before, it can feel like one more thing on your plate. But here’s the thing, I guarantee that you’re already teaching the skills, you’re just not labeling them as CTSO opportunities yet.
Bring It To Life With a “CTSO Kickoff Week”
One of the fastest ways to spark interest is to give students a front-row seat to what your CTSO is all about, without adding a ton of new prep to your workload. I like to do this with what I call “CTSO Kickoff Week”. It’s a simple five-day plan that lets every student experience what your chapter offers and helps them connect your class content to real competition events.
Typically I use this structure in my intro/beginner level courses, but it could be adjusted to work in any level course and for any CTSO you lead! Obviously mine is centered around DECA because that’s my wheelhouse, but you could tweak the ideas and use this same structure for any CTSO!
Monday – Hook & Purpose
Start with a hype video to get the vibes right! (You can use your national promo video or a chapter-made video).
Give a quick elevator pitch: what your CTSO is, who can join, and why it matters.
Kick off the week with a fun activity. I like using the DECA QR Code Scavenger Hunt and Web Search with groups rotating between the two activities so not everyone is working on the same thing at once.
Exit ticket: “One thing that surprised me about [CTSO] and one question I still have.”
Tuesday – Content in Action
Share a presentation covering: DECA’s history, what DECA looks like in your state, school-level activities, and competitive event options for students.
Sprinkle in tons of trip and activity photos because let’s be real, traveling is one of the biggest draws for students to join!
Have students take notes, there’s a short quiz later in the week!
Pro tip: You have to sell it like a storyteller! You have to believe and sell that joining your organization is the best move a student can make. You can’t be boring! Share funny trip memories, big wins, and the skills members gain. Hype it up so kids leave thinking, “How can I pay my dues and I sign up right now?”
If time allows, preview what a DECA role play looks like to tee up Wednesday’s activity.
Wednesday – DECA Role Play Bootcamp
Today your walking students step-by-step through how a role play works at competition and how to structure their role play to win big!
Let them work in groups for this activity so it feels less intimidating. Throughout the semester you will work up to doing solo role plays.
Want it done-for-you? I created this DECA Role Play Bootcamp Activity that has ready-to-use task cards and all of the instructions done for you to make leading this day a success!
Shorter class periods? I would spread this activity over two days.
Thursday – Dress for Success Day
Teach business professional dress as a soft skill!
Go through this Dress for Success PowerPoint (packed with visual examples) and review the National DECA Dress Code together.
Activity: students “online shop” for a business professional outfit that fits their style and the guidelines, then paste images into a doc or Canva to create a complete look.
Friday – Wrap It All Up
Start with a quick quiz over Tuesday’s notes.
I love to finish out the week by bringing in alumni or upperclassmen chapter officers to share their experiences and answer any questions students may have about the benefits of joining. Students love hearing from other students!
Extra time? Let them finish their outfits from Thursday or host a “Tie-Tying Lab.” Grab some donated ties (your faculty will probably be happy to pitch in and clear out some ties from their closet), print simple instructions, then play a YouTube tutorial students can follow along with. Once they master the basics, challenge them with fancier knots for fun. I always loved taking a class picture of all the students wearing their ties they tied then displaying the photos in the room all semester! The students were SO proud!
Want to grab the DECA activities I mentioned like the QR Code Scavenger Hunt, Web Search, Role Play Bootcamp and more for managing your chapter? They’re all right here in my DECA Resources Bundle.
(Disclaimer: My DECA PowerPoint and Quiz are NOT included in the DECA Resources bundle because those resources contain very specific information for my school and photos of students.)
This isn’t a “special week” that takes you off your pacing guide, it’s just using your content in a way that hooks students and shows them the real-world value right away.
By the end of this week, students have not only heard about your CTSO, they’ve lived it. They’ve tried the skills, seen the opportunities, and gotten a peek at what membership looks like.
Now comes the most important part (drumroll please)...you have to keep that excitement and momentum going. If you only talk about your CTSO once a year, it fades into the background. But when you weave it into your lessons all year long, students start to see it as part of your class identity. That’s when recruitment becomes easy and your content feels even more relevant.
Here’s how to keep that CTSO connection strong from August to May….
How to Keep Your CTSO Momentum All Year Long
Once you’ve introduced your CTSO, the magic happens when you keep it woven into your class instruction all year. That’s when students start seeing it as part of your class identity, not just an optional club that meets after school.
Here are some easy, concrete ways to do that without completely overhauling your lesson plans:
1. Integrate DECA role plays/case studies into your units
Pull an old DECA role-play, FBLA case study, or SkillsUSA scenario that matches your current unit of instruction.
Give students 5–10 minutes to brainstorm solutions, then share out. You could even turn this into a partner or group activity!
You could even have your students highlight the vocabulary and skills from your standards as they work through the case study.
Making role plays/case studies a regular part of your instruction not only increases your students’ critical thinking and problem solving skills, it gives your students who are competing more exposure to the type of scenarios that will be placed in front of them at a real competition. Repeated exposure & practice=stronger competitors!
2. Student and alumni spotlights
Invite current and former members to share wins, photos, or projects during class. Having your upper level students showcase their projects in your intro class can be a great recruitment tool for your pathway!
If you don’t have current members yet, use state or national CTSO success stories.
Focus on relatable wins like scholarships, internships, or personal growth. What have these members gained from your CTSO that could resonate with your class?
3. Build “CTSO Skill Moments” Into Your Routine
You don’t need a big lesson plan every time you want to highlight your CTSO. Sprinkling in small, consistent moments throughout the week keeps it visible, builds excitement, and shows students how the skills they’re learning connect to real opportunities. Think of these as five-minute “skill snacks” that keep your CTSO top-of-mind.
Monday – Real-World Connection
Start the week with a fun CTSO fact, a trivia question, or a quick story. Example: “Did you know last year DECA students earned over $200,000 in scholarships?” or “Guess which Fortune 500 CEO got their start in FBLA?” These quick hooks show students that your organization is bigger than just your classroom!Wednesday – Skills Practice
Mid week can make the perfect time to USE one of those role-plays or case studies that ties into your current unit.Friday – Celebrate & Spotlight
End the week by shining a spotlight on your chapter. Celebrate member wins (big or small), preview an upcoming event, or share a picture/video from a past competition. Example: “This time last year, our members were competing at state. Who thinks they’d like to be in that picture this year?” Celebration moments make students feel like they’re part of something bigger and build FOMO in the best way possible.
4. Host Mock Competitive Events in Your Classroom
One of the best ways to spark and sustain interest in your CTSO is to let students experience the thrill of competition without ever leaving your classroom. Hosting some type of mock competition gives students a taste of what it’s like to present, problem-solve, or pitch under pressure but in a safe, low-stakes environment where they’ve already built classroom relationships.
Why it works:
Students instantly see how the skills you’re teaching apply to real-world scenarios.
It builds confidence because they get to practice in a supportive setting before jumping into an actual event.
It creates FOMO (the good kind) for students who aren’t members yet when they realize, “Wait, this is what you get to do in DECA/FBLA?”
How to do it:
Pick one event that ties to your current unit. Role plays or Principles events are great for this!
Give students the scenario and let them work in pairs or small groups to brainstorm solutions.
Have them present to the class (or just share out key ideas) while you or their peers use a simplified version of the CTSO rubric to give feedback.
For added energy, invite current CTSO members or alumni to act as “judges.”
Even if you only do this once or twice a semester, it gives students a real taste of the CTSO experience, and for many, it’s the push they need to sign up, stick with it, and get excited about a real competition.
Tying It All Together…
The more consistently you connect your CTSO to your content, the more natural it becomes for students to see themselves as part of it. Membership grows, engagement in class increases, and your lessons feel even more relevant because students can picture where the skills lead.
This doesn’t have to be complicated, and you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. A few intentional touches here and there make your CTSO feel like a natural part of your classroom culture, and the payoff is huge! You’re looking at more engaged students, higher membership, greater attrition and retention in your program of study, and stronger connections between what you teach and where it leads.
…. and hey, I know being a teacher and a CTSO advisor can feel like having two full time jobs. If you’re a DECA advisor who needs a little support this year, be sure to check out my DECA Resources Bundle.
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