Dixon Students Scoop Up Lasting Business Skills

January 16th, 2019 /
Melissa Calvillo /
CTE, Dixon Middle, News, Schools, Secondary Schools

Seventh graders at Dixon Middle School are “scooping” up some new, lasting business skills as they open their own Ice Cream Shop in their Family And Consumer Science (FACS) class.

The students are required to apply for their desired positions and, once in their teams, they must come up with a business name, mascot and branding for their company. They will then create an advertisement billboard, menus and even name tags with employee names and job titles.

The students are able to utilize the CTE College and Career Pathways in Business and Marketing. The project-based learning requires students to have real jobs such as hostess, cooks, cashier, table attendants, servers and manager. Over the course of two days, half of the class is assigned to be customers for the first day and will switch to being employees the following day. Students pay for the service and goods through earning money from Lucy Ordaz, the FACS teacher, throughout the class based on their positive behavior.

Ordaz says the realistic experience allows the students to interact with each other, or a manager, to resolve any issues that occur, instead of a teacher.

After an additional lesson involving etiquette basics, the seventh graders are, not only able to gain hands on experience conducting a business, but also learn how to properly eat, sit and set a table.

This activity is not only fun for the students, but it provides them with valuable business skills that will help them in their future education and careers.