Canon-McMillan High School Students Take a Hands-On Learning Approach With the CM Store
Canon-McMillan High School offers a unique entrepreneurship opportunity for students to gain resume-building skills and experience while contributing to their community. anon-Mac CANON-MAC SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
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The CM Store not only equips students with practical business skills but also serves as a platform for community engagement. In its courses, students learn all the facets of business operations by selling their school spirit wear, fostering a sense of school pride and community involvement.
Under the guidance of their instructors, the students manage the entire business process at the CM Store. From clothing design to product launch, they handle it all, showcasing their independence and initiative. The store ' s location in the high school cafeteria makes it easily accessible for all students, whether employees or customers.
The first semester of the course teaches the students about economic concepts such as revenue and net income. In the second semester, they put their education to work and are responsible for running the store. Students assess their target audience, brainstorm potential collaborations and engage in creative problemsolving. Further responsibilities include handling finances, pricing items and creating and running a product page.
After the second semester, the students are qualified to enroll in a third course where they collaborate with the school’ s Life Skills students to run the store.
This past fall, the students topped their sales from the previous year, with over $ 4,000 in merchandise sold. One of the course instructors, Natalie Johnson, credits this increase to the students’ new designs and unique products, particularly during football season and homecoming week.
Students running the CM Store leverage school events like football games or open houses to allow parents and community members to purchase from the store. This year, the students took a bold step in expanding their reach by launching an online ordering form, demonstrating their adaptability and understanding of modern technology.
Students at the CM Store do more than just learn— they also enjoy the process. They find the class ' s interactive and spontaneous nature engaging and exciting. Johnson encourages this by taking a“ backseat role” and providing guidance when necessary but letting the students generate and execute their own ideas.
“ Having the CM Store and working in it is a great way to get your feet wet in having a job and learning how to run a business,” Cole Cyrilla, a student in the class, said.