Tek Tewodros smiling about the future of Thomas Jefferson DECA. photo by Jim Powell
TJ DECA chapter president adds District 3 DECA Representative to his resume.
Beloved student, friend, and peer of the Thomas Jefferson High School community, senior Teklemariam (Tek) Tewodros , has yet another accomplishment to add to his already impressive high school resume: becoming DECA District 3 State Representative and TJ DECA’s President. Tewodros is a senior who has always held the values of hard work and dedication close to his heart. To further add on to the impressive nature of these achievements, District 3 is officially one of the largest districts in Colorado, with over 800 students from many DPS schools and early colleges. DECA is a world-wide education platform that aims to get its students prepared for life by teaching numerous entrepreneurial, marketing, and life skills, and has been a big part of academic life at TJ since 1961.
Tewodros’s path to State Officer has been anything but usual. Many get into the role by excelling at competitions right from the start. Tewodros, on the other hand, qualified for state for the first time his junior year, and gained the title of State Officer the same year by advertising his value as a multi-year Chapter Officer, experience interning, his activity within many extracurricular clubs, and the kind of person the state would get if they elected him. The more Tewodros immersed himself in the program, the more he realized he wanted to become a large part of DECA, and worked extremely hard to do so. “A lot of ambition fueled my success and reason for wanting to do everything,” he stated. This level of ambition is unmatched by many, and made him a standout nominee for the position. When asked about his inspirations for these achievements, he attributes it to God, his parents, and laughingly, “LeBron James.”
Born into a devout Christian family and being Ethiopian Orthodox, he cited faith as “being very integral in all that I do and motivates me to consistently demand better out of myself.” He also detailed the story of his parents coming to the United States, starting out working in manual labor, and taking night classes to learn English; then further explaining how his Dad started his own trucking business and his Mom went to school to become a registered nurse in order to give him and his brother as good of a life as possible. Tewodros is also motivated by being the first Black State Officer to come from TJ, saying “When I was running for office, I didn’t see anybody who looked like me in that trophy case (TJ DECA’s State Officer Hall of Fame), so I felt a little bit discouraged. But being able to be a face and show people it’s possible is a legacy I want to leave behind.”
Although his positions warrant smaller amounts of free time, when Tewodros does get some, his favorite hobbies are baking, cooking, and making Ethiopian style coffee drinks and espresso. He’s been getting back into legos and enjoys binging anime or any law related shows ranging from Suits to Better Call Saul. He’s also a deep jazz listener, with one of his personal favorites being Mulatu Astatke, a world-renowned composer from his homeland. Tewodros also cherishes time spent with family and friends to the fullest extent. When asked about advice concerning balancing personal activities with a busy school and work schedule, he stated that, “oftentimes it’s best to find emotional, or mentally-stimulating activities to spend your time.” No matter the age, anyone can look to Tewodros as an inspiration within our community, whether it be for his work ethic, dedication, or anything else that has earned him the status that he carries. He is a leader that everyone could look to for guidance, regardless of the situation. “Be optimistic,” he answered when questioned about advice he would give to people older than him. “There’s times when it’s easy to get down but there is always light at the end of the tunnel and your best days are ahead of you. It never hurts to be optimistic in life.” Tewodros is a shining star of TJ’s esteemed community, and many Spartans are excited to see the indefinite, amazing impact he will have on the world for years to come.
