Rogers High School School-Based Enterprise (SBE) was one of 166 enterprises in the United States to be awarded a Gold Level Certification or Gold Level Recertification by DECA. 

Gold level recipients are eligible to compete in the upcoming DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California in April. According to program advisor Paul Stoltenberg, this year’s award marks the school’s fifth recertification.

School based enterprise endeavors typically are school stores that are managed and operated entirely by second or third year business and marketing students. 

“SBEs are effective educational tools in helping to prepare students for the transition from school to work or college,” Stoltenberg said. “For some of the students, the school store is their first work experience. For others, it provides an opportunity to build management, supervision and leadership skills.”

Rogers High School has operated their school-based enterprise for more than 30 years, according to Stoltenberg.

The store sells clothing supplies, Rogers RAM gear, lattes, non-carbonated beverages and school supplies. Sales profits help to fund Associated Student Body (ASB) and DECA activities. 

“And, as with any socially responsible business, it also gives back to its community by sponsoring the school’s Robotics’ Club,” Stoltenberg said.

Stoltenberg’s class of seniors is split into two teams that switch places every two weeks. One team manages the store while the other learns about non-retail businesses. The store team is organized similarly to a retail business with a general manager, department heads and human resources. Students’ grades are tied to meeting store profitability and sales targets.  

To be considered for a DECA award, students must provide 40 to 90 pages of documentation and meet performance indicators for each aspect of the store’s operation, including developing a business plan, managing and handling cash, balancing books and supervising overall operations. Written documentation is then submitted to DECA headquartered in Reston, Va. 

Class students Aimee Bach, Connor Mattson and Zack Kay worked on the certification documentation and will compete in Anaheim where they will provide a 15-minute presentation based on their submission to a panel of judges during a series of competition rounds. Winners from each round move on to the finals.

All agree that the skills they gained in the program will serve them well in the future.

“I learned that managing a business is not as easy as one might think,” said Kay, who plans a business career that incorporates his interest in finance

While business is central to each of the students’ future plans, their areas of interest differ.

“I want to combine my art and design skills with business,” said Bach, who is the store’s promotion manager.

Mattson is especially intrigued with the entrepreneurial aspects of developing a business. 

DECA advisors have used SBE as a powerful learning lab for more than four decades.  DECA’s SBE Certification Program was developed to provide recognition for outstanding achievement school-based enterprises and to motivate students to strive for excellence and growth.

DECA is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit student organization preparing its members for careers in marketing, management, finance and hospitality.  It has nearly 200,000 members nationwide and operates in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, Canada, Germany and Mexico through charters held by each state’s/province’s department of education. 

Linda Henry is a freelance reporter for the Herald.