Apprentice entrepreneurs donate their profits to their school

“Sweatshirts R’Us” provided great learning opportunity

ABRAM-VILLAGE, PEI – Jan. 30, 2013 – Thanks to the collaboration of several community and school partners, the nine students from the secondary level entrepreneurial class at Evangeline School got to learn how to plan, establish and manage a real small business called “Sweatshirts c’nous” (or “Sweatshirts R’Us” in English) during the first semester of the current school year.

In addition, they succeeded in selling their entire stock of 120 hoodie-type sweatshirts, pay all of their expenses, reimburse their investors and contribute their entire profit of $1,084.03 to their school so that it can improve the quality of sound in their large gymnasium.

First of all, this entrepreneurial course has been a part of the school’s regular curriculum for several years now. Teacher Josée Babineau delivered the first portion of the course; since the start of the New Year, teacher Marise Gallant has taken over this responsibility. The course is delivered in collaboration with Junior Achievement’s Company Program: A Student Venture, being delivered by RDÉE Prince Edward Island. The RDÉE assigned Jeannine Arsenault, client information officer with the Wellington Rural Action Centre, to support the class; she would visit the group once a week to ensure the project kept progressing.

“The students worked really hard on this project,” said Arsenault. “They quickly realized that it takes a lot of work to manage a business and that everybody has to do their fair share to ensure its success. I’m extremely proud of the effort they invested in this project.”

She adds that she and the teachers truly appreciated working with such a devoted group.

Company president Tyson Gallant also noted he was quite pleased with everything his class accomplished in such a short period of time. The company co-owners truly appreciated the fact that the community supported their project by investing in it and then by buying their hoodies. Some of the investors even refused to take back their $10 investment at the end of the project, preferring instead to donate it to the business so that it could be donated to the school.

Music teacher Chuck Arsenault graciously accepted the donation from the class, noting it will eventually help with the purchase of large panels that will be placed on the walls of the gym to absorb sound and to prevent echoes during concerts and other presentations.

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CUTLINE: Tyson Gallant, president of the school business Sweatshirts R’Us, presents the business’ entire profits of $1,084.03, to music teacher Chuck Arsenault. The funds will help with the purchase of large panels that will be placed on the school’s gym walls to improve sound quality for concerts and other presentations.

For more information:

Jeannine Arsenault
Client information officer
Wellington Rural Action Centre
(902) 854-2328, Ext. 228

Marise Gallant
Entrepreneurship Class teacher
Evangeline School
(902) 854-2491

Tyson Gallant
President
Sweatshirts c’nous
(902) 854-2491