2019 Those Who Excel Recipient: Mustang Business & Design Team
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KENT DYER AND AMY VANNATTA
The Mustang Business and Design Team, formed by teachers Kent Dyer and Amy Vannatta of Rolling Meadows High School, is being honored with the Award of Meritorious Service in the Team category.
The two teachers came up with the idea for a Small Business Management course after the high school set up a Graphic Arts program and opened a school store four years ago. At the time, school spirit apparel was only sold at sporting events and was too expensive for most students. So three years ago, graphic art students started creating designs and printing affordable spirit wear to sell in the school store. The combination was a success, but the supply-and-demand system needed work.
“These two exceptional instructors team-teach a course they created … which exemplifies our school mission and is the heart of our school spirit and pride”
So Dyer and Vannatta worked together as a team to create a course to teach students about business, design and production through the real-life experience of running a graphic arts business.
The class is divided into teams of four to five students handling multiple projects throughout the semester. Each team is responsible for meeting with internal and external clients, such as teachers, coaches and the local rotary club; designing products, including athletic team T-shirts, performing arts event programs, school spirit rally towels and school spirit signage; setting and meeting budgets; and producing products.
The students work in the store to promote and market spirit wear during lunch hours. In addition, Dyer and Vannatta worked with the Special Education Department to set up a mini internal internship opportunity for IEP students to work in the store to develop communication, math and social skills.
At the end of each project, Small Business Management students complete a written team reflection about the experience and challenges, a financial report on profits or losses and an invoice for the client. Even when projects aren’t profitable, the students can learn by identifying the challenges they encountered and what they could have done differently.
“We are a school community that strongly believes in providing real-world opportunities to our students. We know it enriches their experience in high school and, more importantly, prepares them for future success,” said RMHS Principal Eileen Hart in nominating the Mustang Business and Design Team. “These two exceptional instructors team-teach a course they created … which exemplifies our school mission and is the heart of our school spirit and pride.”
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