Virginia

Common Penalty Point Mistakes:

Review for Prepared Events

July 21, 2026

Post SLC 2026 Prepared Event Stats:

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• Virginia DECA had 160 prepared event finalists (top 8 across 20 events).
• 26 of those finalists had a total of 225 penalty points identified post-SLC.
• 14 went on to be recognized as ICDC finalists.
• Only 1 ICDC finalist had a pre-identified penalty (wrong date on cover).
• 4 placed in the Top 10 Overall at ICDC. None had penalties 🤩

Most Common Mistakes - Papers

#1: PAGE SIZE - must be 8.50 x 11.00 in. It cannot be smaller or larger. This is individually checked on every submission.

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To confirm page size: open the pdf document, click on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, select Document Properties from the dropdown, review Page size.

Most Common Mistakes - Papers

#2: MISSING INFORMATION ON TITLE PAGE - This is considered a requirement under the “written entry follows the outline in the Written Entry Guidelines for the event.” Failure to list ALL of the required information will result in a penalty:

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• Name of the event (ex: BUSINESS GROWTH PLAN)
• Name of high school
• School address
• City, State/Province, ZIP/Postal Code
• Name(s) of participant(s)
• Date ***THIS SHOULD BE AN ACTUAL DATE WITH CURRENT MONTH/DAY/YEAR OF COMPETITION. Many submissions notes just a year (ex: 2026) or just a month/year (ex: March 2026). A FULL DATE SHOULD BE LISTED (ex: February 28, 2026).***

Most Common Mistakes - Papers

#3: PAGE NUMBERS - Several penalties could be assessed for incorrect page numbers.

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• Page numbers must START on the Executive Summary page. There should be NO page number (including the number zero) on the Title Page or Table of Contents.
• Page numbers are numbered in sequence. Check EVERY page, many submissions at SLC skipped page numbers in the document and/or listed pages out of order.
• NO separate or blank pages between sections or as title pages for sections. This includes blank pages at the start or the end of the document - REMOVE THEM.

Most Common Mistakes - Papers

#4: STATEMENT OF ASSURANCES (SoA) - must be signed by all participants and the chapter advisor. Because Virginia requires a digital submission, the SoA should be submitted as a separate document.

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• Only physical signatures or digital signatures will be accepted. Typed names in a font will not be accepted as signatures.
• CHECK the correct EVENT is listed.
• CHECK the correct SoA is being used! The SoA is updated every year by DECA. Number 6 on the document should read “All activities or original research described in this entry took place between the 2026 Charted Association Career Development Conference and the 2027 Chartered Association Career Development Conference.”

Most Common Mistakes - Pitch Decks

1. The Prepared Event Statement of Assurances and Academic Integrity must be signed by all participants and the chapter advisor and turned in with the pitch deck. Only physical signatures or digital signatures will be accepted. Typed names in a font will not be accepted as signatures. (same as with papers)

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2. Limited to 20 slides.

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3. All slides are numbered in sequence starting with the title slide and ending with the final slide of the appendix. (This slightly differs from papers; the cover slide is included in the total count, HOWEVER, it does not need to be numbered and the title slide must begin with the number “2”)

Most Common Mistakes - Pitch Decks

4. The pitch deck follows the outline in the Pitch Deck Guidelines for the event. Additional subsections are permitted. (just like the “missing information” mistake in papers)

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5. The pitch deck must be typed and use a 16:9 aspect ratio (see note below - there are many iterations of 16:9). Handwritten correction, notes, charts and graphs will be penalized. PRO TIP: When converting the pitch deck to a PDF use the export option instead of print as a PDF to ensure it remains in the 16:9 aspect ratio (just like page size in papers).

16:9 is the SAME as:

1920x1080 mm ✅

20x11.25 in ✅

13.33x7.5 in ✅

10x5.62 in ✅

These are not ALL the penalties, just the most common.

• Competitors (and advisors) should be diligent in reviewing their prepared events. See DECA’s Advisor Guide to Avoiding Penalty Points as well as the Pitch Decks: FAQ.

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• In addition to the advisor, have at least two (2) other people review the event using the Penalty Point Checklist.

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• Remember - even one penalty can be the difference between taking 1st place or missing the stage entirely!

Good luck Virginia!