Group project brings spirit store to Gilmer High

Photo by Susan Kirkland
Natlie West, a senior, designed the shirt she is wearing and it became a best seller in the students efforts to open the store.

When students think of group projects, a spirit store isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Usually, it’s a mix of deciding who does which part of the PowerPoint slides, who handles research, who presents the information and a fear that no one else will pull their weight, leaving one or two to handle all the work.

However, for Gilmer High School juniors and seniors, their group project was a joint effort to create the The Bobcat Store. Sure, there was still the business plan, researching the best way to handle inventory, sales, and marketing, but they pulled together.

“They researched merchandise and vendors and designed it,” said Josh Snider, the business teacher who guided them through the project. The result is a spirit store, located in the library featuring t-shirts, water bottles, spirit beads, socks, pens, pencils, and notebooks and the grand-opening was held today.

In addition to setting up the spirit store, students are responsible for making sales at other schools. To accomplish this, they divided up the schools and started calling and now have satellite sales in some of the other schools. For example, Mountain View Elementary let them set out items in the teacher workroom.

CATS WIN BIG ON HOMECOMING

He also said that the students, who are all third year business students, handle the paperwork, take inventory themselves and running the

These hot drink carriers are one of many items offered in the Bobcats Store.

spirit store.

“They are learning it’s more than just opening a store, they are learning how to build the business,” he said. “They are also learning that there are business owners and employees and how neither is wrong, there are positives and negatives to each way.”

Natlie West, a senior, designed the girls crew neck sweatshirt that has become an instant hit.

“It’s been our biggest profit maker,” said Ayden Fountain, one of the students involved.

They have a few goals in mind, including how to give back to the community, said Snider.

The students would also like to get some of the career and technical education classes involved by making items to sell in the store.

However, growth will take time.

The one at GHS will open two days a week starting out, during lunches.

“We’re starting slow,” Snider said.

Students in featured image: Kadie Weaver, junior; Angie Davis, senior; Jaylyn Davis, junior; McKenzie Fink, junior; Edgar Parez, junior; Jaidyn Harris, senior; Blair Gibbs, junior; Carson Purvis, junior; Ayden Fountain, junior; Natlie West, senior; and Josh Snider, business tender.

Susan Kirkland