Hands-on learning is the focus of the Career Technical and Education (CTE) courses at Mount Si High School. Learning skills that directly correlate to a profession is the goal, and it’s happening daily. 

This week, we visited the MSHS Advanced Marketing students, who get first-hand knowledge and experience of all the elements necessary to run a successful business. The entire store is essentially student-operated, which includes managing inventory, purchasing, marketing, and customer service. The student store is open daily and averages over $500 in daily sales. 

With menu items that include pretzels, Italian sodas, coffees, frozen yogurts, and an assortment of fruit juices, as well as Wildcat spirit wear, the students have created a steady stream of customers. The marketing students have also collaborated with the Culinary Arts and Baking classes to offer fresh cinnamon rolls daily, becoming a fan favorite. This additional step led to creating invoices and managing other purchased items. 

The store's success earned the MSHS DECA program its first Gold Level Certification for a  School-Based Enterprise last spring. To achieve this certification, store managers wrote a 20-page manual detailing store operations and gave an oral presentation at the state competition in March. DECA will apply for Gold Re-certification this year. 

The CTE program continues to shine in fostering real-world experience and student achievement. We are thankful for incredible community support and excellent staff who ensure our students receive a meaningful hands-on education.