BY JESSICA STEELEY
Clarkston News Staff Writer

Classroom learning was applied to a real business last week when Clarkston High School’s Marketing II class presented advertising models for a local company, Clarkston Food Express (CFE).
“We did a very good job, better than what I thought we would,” marketing student Sean Croston said. “This has just been a very good experience and I think that this project specifically has built our skills.”
The presentations included a mission statement, social media marketing plans and tips, postcard and business card designs, public relations techniques and event marketing ideas.
High School Marketing Teacher Christy Moore said CFE member Nick Thomas, a Clarkston graduate, discussed what the business needed with the class in December and they worked on it until their presentation on April 20.
“We were able to do all this marketing work and just take the things that they learned in class and be able to apply that to an actual business,” Moore said. “It’s just, I think, really cool and impactful for the kids to get to see their work and get to see it being used in a real-life business.”
Croston said the project helped them better their skills and will be a good reference for anyone planning to go into the field.
“I’m going into marketing, so I felt like it helped me with real life experience that prepares me for the future,” student Gretchen Bennett said.
Marketing student Gavyn Eisert said they were put into groups and then worked to complete their projects step by step, starting with the mission statement and going from there.
“We got about a week to two weeks for each thing and just threw out ideas and pasted it all together,” Eisert said.
This is the second year the Marketing II class has helped a local business and Moore hopes her class can continue the project in the future.
She said it was a good experience for the kids to be able to talk to Nick Thomas as a Clarkston alumni currently working professionally in the marketing field.
“I know last year the kids that worked on Pine Knob Urgent care, their logo’s being used today and it’s all over, and I think that they’re just really proud to see that,” Moore said. “I think the same thing’s going to happen this year as these kids see Nick out in the community and the mailers going out and utilizing some of the things that they came up with and the tips that they came up with. I think that they’re really going to have something to be proud of.”
Moore stressed the project focuses on the kids and their learning experiences, but she thinks CFE will also benefit.
“I think Nick got a lot out of it, being able to come back to his former high school and give back a little in the community and spend some time with kids here,” Moore said. “He was absolutely great at answering questions and telling about his business and really inspiring them for entrepreneurship and how to start a business and how to take an idea from an idea into making it a real concept.”