WESTON – At the D.C. Everest Senior High School students have the opportunity to enhance their marketing and leadership skills through the project-based Creative Marketing Solutions course. Throughout the semester-long course, students conduct research concerning a challenge they would like to address, a movement they would like to start or an idea they would like to explore. They then take the lead on a real-world project in business, marketing, finance, hospitality, administration, human resources or sports/entertainment management.
The course allows students to flex their creative muscles while gaining critical career skills — leadership, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, problem-solving and perseverance. Below is a sampling of current student projects:
- A Super Hero pilot program for elementary students called Heroes at Heart, that includes lessons and activities
- A podcast highlighting the accomplishments of D.C. Everest female students
- A sustainable clothing business venture as a precursor to a post-high school career option
- An advertising campaign to increase the attendance at Central Wisconsin Storm Hockey games
- The development of marketing content for a new local business, Slate Media
- A collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps to create a mini Marines Bootcamp experience at school
- The expansion of a student jewelry business by developing an online presence on Etsy
- A basketball clinic to benefit Food for America, called Hoops for the Hungry
- An app for a local landscaping business
- The establishment of a student fishing lure business
- A handmade bracelet business
- Pretty Packages, an entrepreneurial effort to benefit The Women’s Community, has collected $800 and is preparing their boxes of goodies
- The creation of a clothing line, with some proceeds going to an organization that helps victims of drug abuse
- A benefit to raise money/supplies for warming shelters
- A spike ball benefit tournament
One of the DCE students, Feihong Lee, has launched the Break United Dance Club for the Boys and Girls Club. Passionate about break dancing, Feihong launched the afterschool initiative at the Greenheck Fieldhouse. Feihong (B-Boy Zeno), Pa Ying Gia Thao (B-Girl Ujin), and Simon Thao (B-Boy Beast) serve as the lead instructors for the sessions that are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. for students in grades 8 – 12. They not only teach students how to breakdance, but share the history and culture of breaking, the components of breaking and how it has impacted them. Feihong has created a logo and Facebook page to market the club.
Another recent Creative Marketing Solutions student project, led by Beau Svoke and Simon Nazari-Witt, was a volleyball tournament fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Thanks to the participation of 15 volleyball teams and fan support, they were able to raise $636.50 for the hospital.
Dayton Goralski and Riley Held, who also are enrolled in the course, recently launched a new “Student Ready” initiative to provide students with school supplies. Initially, Dayton and Riley planned to hold a school supply drive but as the semester progressed, their project expanded. They crafted a marketing pitch, met with local businesses and were able to secure $1,000 from L&S Electric and Applied Laser Technologies for their “Student Ready” initiative. As a result, they will begin distributing the free supplies to students at the DCE Junior High and DCE Senior High via the on-campus DECA Depot student stores.
Source: D.C. Everest Area School District
