By: Emily Davis

Entrepreneurship I, taught by Ms. Beaster, is in its first year at Heritage. This week, the CTE class engaged in an exciting marketing project, which displayed the trademark hands-on opportunities for which CTE classes are known.

Over the course of one week, students were split into groups based on their interests and created ten step marketing plans for four individual local businesses. They were commissioned by these businesses, the likes of Legal Cloud Technology and Cooking with Barbara, to target specific areas for improvement within their company. One notable organization was Perfectly Afflicted, who sought to increase their target market of young teens and improve their networking.

Perfectly Afflicted is a local organization, run by Jeff Lawson and musician Chris Hendricks, which goes to schools to support at-risk teens, often victims of bullying or suffering from suicidal thoughts. They promote “positive self-esteem in others while breaking down prejudice,” through activities such as concerts, t-shirt sales, and motivational speaking. Chris, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was young, uses his story of finding his talent in music to motivate others in their own lives. Students pitched a revamping of the group’s logo, as well as creating wristbands and further developing a social media presence.  

As a special perk, singer and songwriter Chris Hendricks performed a few acoustic songs for the class in the Heritage commons on Tuesday. Following the performance, Hendricks and Lawson left with a free business plan and a complimentary pumpkin displaying the names of the students.