Just in case The Donald is looking for some younger talent for the next season of The Apprentice, Montville has some students who might be up to the challenge.
Students at Montville High School have ample opportunity to get involved with business concepts, according to Doug Wheeler, a teacher in the school’s business department. The direct route is through formal coursework, some which can count for college credit, or ultimately lead to an internship for seniors.
Montville High offers at least eight business classes, most for juniors and seniors. Approximately 180 students are enrolled, according to Wheeler. The accounting and marketing courses qualify for college credit at Three Rivers Community College and may be transferable to other colleges and universities.
Students enrolled in Marketing 1 learn the foundations of marketing concepts, the economic role of marketing, and its effect on buyer behavior. In Marketing 2, it’s much more than academic discussions about the seven functions of marketing. Students acquire hands-on learning experience in the school store, from selling and promotion to distribution, pricing, marketing information systems, product and service management, and financing.
By the time they move on to Entrepreneurship and Business Management classes, they sound like seasoned pros talking about target markets, market research, surveying customers, and, of course, making money. In these classes, students design their own school-based enterprises and write comprehensive business plans, while putting in hours at the school store.
Or, students can get involved in Montville Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the national organization recognized by the National Council for Business Education. At least 50 high schools in Connecticut have chapters. In New London County, Lyme-Old Lyme and Stonington high schools also have chapters.
About 15 students are members of the FBLA chapter, Wheeler said. The organization, which has elected officers and does several school projects each year that have underlying business themes, appeals to a broad range of students. This includes those who aren’t specializing in business but want to get some exposure to it—or they just enjoy getting involved in some of the activities.
“We have a very diverse group, from basketball players and cheerleaders to drama kids,” said Crystal Varney, a senior and FBLA co-vice president. “We’re not a boring group.”
The FBLA students are in charge of the school store, which sells snacks, beverages, and school apparel items during set hours each school day. Before the high school was renovated, the “store” was little more than a cart pushed around the halls.
Now it is a dedicated storefront space next to the school library. The students got plenty of hands-on experience setting up the physical operation, stocking and inventory, and data entry. Sales and inventory management are ongoing.
They also heard pitches from distributors and decided what the store’s merchandise mix should be. They continue to look for new things to sell and ways to promote the store.
The store even opened up during the school’s evening performances of High School Musical and did a brisk business selling Montville High School apparel.
The school store is “very profitable,” according to senior Tom Taylor, FBLA treasurer. But the students have experienced some real-world business realities. The school’s nutrition policies don’t allow the sale of sugary sodas or candy. This has hurt sales, according to Kelly Burdick, who teaches the business and marketing classes.
So the FBLA students took a business approach to the situation, applying some of what they had learned in classes.
“We came up with ideas for nutritional snacks; we talked to other schools in our conference,” said Marie Thomas, FBLA co-vice president. “We surveyed students about what they wanted or would buy.”
In response, she said, the school store offers lower-fat and lower-calorie snacks, including Goldfish crackers, granola bars, 100-calorie snack packs, as well as fruit juices and bottled water.
The FBLA members also get involved in other fund-raising activities, including a recent bowl-a-thon that raised money for March of Dimes and a school-wide talent show and basket raffle to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
“I like organizing things,” said Varney. She is busy organizing the talent show and fund-raiser, scheduled for April 4. Her duties range from getting the lights and sound in place to making sure participants turn in their permission slips, bring in money, and show up at rehearsal.
The business classes and FBLA organization also collaborate with other classes and groups at the school, according to Burdick.
“The students helped the family and consumer sciences classes market their culinary café,” she said. “We also plan to do more things with the school’s television production class and facilities.”
Senior Jean Chery, FBLA public relations co-chair, hopes to go into communications as a career, involving television, marketing, and advertising.
“I’ve been on the school’s television station a few times,” he admitted.
The school’s business curriculum also includes a course in personal finance, where students can work with a local bank to administer and promote the Montville Savers’ Club at Tyl Middle School. The program is designed to foster life-long saving habits with middle school students.
Business law introduces students to essential laws affecting business, giving them an appreciation of the rights and obligations governing all business transactions.
Seniors also can participate in a business internship, which includes a semester of on-site work experience supervised by the teacher and employer.
“The students are looking for real-world experience,” said Wheeler, who is actively looking to develop internship opportunities for students with area businesses and organizations where the students can apply or expand upon some of the skills they have learned in their business classes or through FBLA projects. “We are trying to promote skills such as problem-solving, business etiquette, responsibility, and decision-making.”
One student has worked in a physical therapy office, another is at the Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, in Niantic, he said. Last year, a student worked in banking.
Ashley Edwards, a senior, and FBLA public relations co-chair, is unique in the internship program in her interest in psychology and education. Her internship in a public school involves observing elementary school students and writing a thesis paper.
“There are too many kids who don’t have a voice, or don’t feel they have one, and don’t have anyone to talk to,” she said. Edwards plans to study psychology.
Nine of the students are preparing for the Connecticut FBLA State Leadership Conference in Waterbury on March 31. This leads up to the FBLA National Leadership Conference. Students can compete in more than 40 events, individually or in teams, completing written or computer exercises or case studies, or making presentations. Some projects must be completed and turned in before the competition.
Topics range from business math, accounting, business law, and business procedures to public speaking and doing a job interview to several computer applications, from data-base design and application to e-business and Internet application programming.
Senior Rayshawn Hewitt and Chery are preparing to make a presentation on business etiquette in an international setting. They have chosen Saudi Arabia as the culture and country.
Erica Morales, a senior and FBLA president, is preparing to take the written test in personal finance. She also plans to major in finance. Thomas will compete in the job interview event, which includes preparing a letter of application and a resume.
Melanie Hebert, FBLA secretary, likes the competitive pressure of working on business projects. A senior, she plans to go to Three Rivers Community College next year.
Senior Melquan Allen rounds out the Montville FBLA officer team as chapter historian.
For more information about FBLA in Connecticut, go to www.ctbla.com. Area businesses and organizations interested in student internships can contact Doug Wheeler at dwheeler@montvilleschools.org or call 848-0747.