By Drew Cassiday and Isobel Futter

In the month of November business students test their marketing and business skills to see if they can make a profit selling a good or service to the public. Melissa Deboer’s marketing class is participating in a project where they choose a specific good to sell and test out the skills they’ve learned in class to sell them.

This project also has a twist, differentiating it from others project at school. The students are able to donate the proceeds of their project to either Make-A-Wish foundation or Team Mary. They are also able to split the profit and donate to both.  

Make-A-Wish foundation is an organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

Lynn Kuznicki, the Finance Office Professional at the DHS office, has a son that went through Make-A-Wish. Her son, who had to have a kidney transplant, wished for a TV to watch his favorite sports games on.

“The organization is great, I can’t say enough about it,” Kuznicki said. “It truly takes the child and their family out of the illness and helps them escape from the hospital rooms and doctors’ appointments; it lets the kid be a kid.”

Team Mary is an organization for local, Mary Juengel, who was diagnosed with leukemia in the fall of 2011.

Students are able to pick what they would like to sell and must research, advertise and complete all aspects of the business cycle. Ideas such as selling baked goods are common, however, there are some unique ideas being brought to the table. Seniors Bri Schmidt and David Saead are making graphic t-shirts, made in the graphic lab.

“[David and Bri] combined a couple things from different classes and the shirts are awesome,” Deboer said.

Sophomores McKenna Root and Madison Kuch are hosting an event at the tennis center. On Saturday Nov. 1 7, parents and children can come and play with the four-time state champion tennis team in a doubles mixer.

“I wanted to do it at the tennis center because I spend so much time there and it’s a great way to promote [the tennis team] because they have done so well in the last four years,” Root said.

There are 20 teams available and it costs $45 a team. Choosing to give proceeds to both Make-A-Wish and Team Mary, Root was able to organize the event efficiently with the Tennis Center as she spends time there playing tennis.

Root, as well as other participants in the fundraising project are hoping for the success of the event and to make profit to donate to a worthy cause.