Have you ever wondered who runs the school store or why kids are walking around trying to sell different items such as shirts and keychains? They are from Port & Co., the Virtual Enterprise class in Northport High School. A Virtual Enterprise is a simulated business that is created and run by the students. There are 41 Long Island firms, 500 in the US, and 3,000 internationally.
The first couple of days of school are used to determining what department everyone will be working in. Some of the departments include Administration, Accounting/Finance, Marketing, Sales/Purchasing, Web Design, and Human Resources. This is chosen through the creation of resumes and the interview process, which simulate the process of applying for a real life job. This year, John Kippley was hired as the CEO, and oversees all aspects of the company.
A unique aspect of the company is that the students determine what they want to sell. This year, we have decided to sell products such as Lanyards, Throw Blankets, T-Shirts, and stickers. All aspects of our company come together and help sell these products both virtually and physically, which is something that takes a total team effort.
Throughout the year, we participate in different competitions against the other VE firms regionally, nationally, and internationally. Just recently, we participated in the regional Trade Show at LIU Post. This trade show was a great opportunity for us to advertise our products, and network with different companies. In addition to the trade show, select members of our team participated in the business plan competition. We also competed in an e-commerce website competition, which we won first place in thanks to the great design of our website by Anna McNeil and Mackenzie Lentz. In April, we will travel to NYC to participate in the VE International Trade Show.