Appoquinimink High School students who forgot their No. 2 pencils or a binder for their next report no longer have to go any farther than the cafeteria to purchase the items.
Students enrolled in the school’s marketing management career pathway recently celebrated the grand opening of a new school store.
This retail enterprise allows students to become managers, cashiers, accountants and advertising representatives without even leaving school premises. They will take on all the day-to-day operations that come with owning a business.
Monique Riddick, chair of the school’s career & technical education department, said she wanted the marketing management students to have a retail training lab that would provide real-world experiences right in their own school.
“Competition is so fierce these days,” she said. “This gives them a heads up when they go out to find jobs later. They can say they physically worked in a store.”
Riddick said the students are responsible for ordering supplies, stocking merchandise, hiring employees, handling cash, providing customer service and administering security procedures.
She said to determine inventory levels and pricing strategies, the store employees will take buying, stocking and merchandising concepts they learn in the classroom and apply those concepts to the store.
“Our current line is minimal as we test the waters,” Riddick said. “Over time, students will compare sales forecasts with actual sales numbers to determine appropriate stock levels and the merchandise assortment.”
Shoppers can currently find 20 different items in the store, ranging from school supplies to spirit items. From pencils priced at 10 to 25 cents to varsity jackets, which range from $150 to $210, the store offers items for everyone. AHS students and staff can even support their school with Jaguar gym bags priced at $30, or a stadium seat priced at $25.
The store managers, Cole Barrett and Toresha Foster, both want to own their own business one day.
Cole, who wants to own his own medical practice, said he enjoys being in a leadership role and providing a service to his fellow students.
“It’s going to help us out in the long run to be able to use the skills we’re learning in class right now,” he said.
Cole and Toresha currently manage a staff of six employees. Job positions are also open to AHS students in DECA, a high school club for students studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality and marketing sales.
The store is located on the school’s Main Street thoroughfare, which represents a downtown business district or mall environment. Down the hall from the store is a fully running Wilmington Trust bank, where finance students learn the ins and outs of working in the banking world.
Assistant Principal Keisha Brinkley said she is impressed but not surprised by the students’ initiative to run their own business.
“It’s an awesome project,” she said. “It’s necessary to have a real-world connection. They can decide if this is what they want to do or they can start thinking about other things that might interest them, so it’s great either way.”
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Appoquinimink High School students who forgot their No. 2 pencils or a binder for their next report no longer have to go any farther than the cafeteria to purchase the items.
Students enrolled in the school’s marketing management career pathway recently celebrated the grand opening of a new school store.
This retail enterprise allows students to become managers, cashiers, accountants and advertising representatives without even leaving school premises. They will take on all the day-to-day operations that come with owning a business.
Monique Riddick, chair of the school’s career & technical education department, said she wanted the marketing management students to have a retail training lab that would provide real-world experiences right in their own school.
“Competition is so fierce these days,” she said. “This gives them a heads up when they go out to find jobs later. They can say they physically worked in a store.”
Riddick said the students are responsible for ordering supplies, stocking merchandise, hiring employees, handling cash, providing customer service and administering security procedures.
She said to determine inventory levels and pricing strategies, the store employees will take buying, stocking and merchandising concepts they learn in the classroom and apply those concepts to the store.
“Our current line is minimal as we test the waters,” Riddick said. “Over time, students will compare sales forecasts with actual sales numbers to determine appropriate stock levels and the merchandise assortment.”
Shoppers can currently find 20 different items in the store, ranging from school supplies to spirit items. From pencils priced at 10 to 25 cents to varsity jackets, which range from $150 to $210, the store offers items for everyone. AHS students and staff can even support their school with Jaguar gym bags priced at $30, or a stadium seat priced at $25.
The store managers, Cole Barrett and Toresha Foster, both want to own their own business one day.
Cole, who wants to own his own medical practice, said he enjoys being in a leadership role and providing a service to his fellow students.
“It’s going to help us out in the long run to be able to use the skills we’re learning in class right now,” he said.
Cole and Toresha currently manage a staff of six employees. Job positions are also open to AHS students in DECA, a high school club for students studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality and marketing sales.
The store is located on the school’s Main Street thoroughfare, which represents a downtown business district or mall environment. Down the hall from the store is a fully running Wilmington Trust bank, where finance students learn the ins and outs of working in the banking world.
Assistant Principal Keisha Brinkley said she is impressed but not surprised by the students’ initiative to run their own business.
“It’s an awesome project,” she said. “It’s necessary to have a real-world connection. They can decide if this is what they want to do or they can start thinking about other things that might interest them, so it’s great either way.”
