“Managed a Business” is not a typical item on the average high school student’s resume. Most teenagers have no idea what goes into running a successful business. Luckily, for those who are curious, Mr. Szymanski’s economic classes are the perfect opportunity to learn the ins and outs of producing, managing and representing a successful corporation.
Every year the two economics class, this year during periods one and two, start their own mini-businesses right in the school by first creating a product that the students will want to buy. Period one made snack boxes. Period two chose a reliable favorite from past years, the coffee bags. Then the classes organized themselves into different branches of a business, including a President of Public Relations, Sales Reps and Board of Directors. The classroom itself was morphed into a production station, where coffee bags and snack packs were built, and a sales station, where the product was dispersed to representatives.
At first, production was slow. But a volunteer from the Walpole community, Mr. Peter McMurray, who works at the local Rolls Royce car company, came into the classes to teach the students how to make a more effective production line. Production steps were cut, and by the third day into the construction, both classes were making 80 to 90 coffee and snack bags in one class.
President of the coffee sellers, senior Marc Koukoulas remarked how “hard it is to run a company. If one part is flawed, everything can fall apart.” V.P. of public relations of the snack pack company, senior Taylor Silvestro, remarked that the hardest point during their project was when they ran out of some snack foods, and had to think creatively to fill the box. But judging by the success of their products so far, these students are learning valuable skills.
The sellers of the coffee bags have a goal in mind of at least 160 bags. The snack packers would like to sell enough to make a profit. Once the products are all sold, the companies have to make sure to pay their “stockholders” and then split any other profits between them. The coffee company is planning a pizza party with the extra money.
High school is all about learning valuable skills to function in the real world. Mr. Szymanski’s economics class goes above and beyond that criteria, giving students the opportunity to become leaders in a business and contribute to a community.
Although it might be their first stab at the world of business, the level of commitment shown by the students involved in the two companies illustrates that they are determined to succeed and prosper. Both the snack packs and the coffee bags were carefully created for a student with a limited budget in mind, and for only $7.25, one can get 10oz of coffee, 5 Hershey’s kisses, 9 life savers and a supply of coffee filters. Or, for $6 one could buy a box filled with delicious snacks, like a bag of chips and a juice box.
