Business Capstone students run and manage the Spirit Store. This opportunity allows students to learn business skills in an immersive work environment. 

Supervised by business education teacher Kevin Nelson, students are free to explore and make mistakes on their own. Nelson said he wants students to try “problem solving first, then probably accept failure” later. The individual work is one of his favorite parts as he gets to see “the growth from day one until the end of the year.” 

Senior Braden Baken said students are rarely given directions, promoting a sense of freedom and responsibility within the class environment. It also provides an all-inclusive entrepreneurial experience. 

Senior Regan Wagner said that the course teaches “every aspect [of business]: production, marketing, finances and accounting.” 

Wagner, who plans to major in marketing at the University of Michigan, said, “Other schools should have a Capstone program.” 

The class of 15 seniors is split into four teams. Teams rotate every quarter to run the store itself, while everyone else manages the concession stand, raffles, fat heads and other miscellaneous tasks in the meantime. Fat heads are the favorite assignment, according to Wagner. 

All profits made from these ventures goes toward the Business Enterprise Scholarship. The earnings will be evenly distributed among the students at the end of the year.

Seniors Jaden Eickberg and Max Piunti join Baken to make up one of the teams. According to Baken, capitalizing on their individual strengths allows them to maximize productivity and profit. He also said Business Capstone gives them the “freedom to do what you want.” 

One of Eickberg’s responsibilities is making t-shirts in the school makerspace. “I love interacting with the business world,” he said.