A storage space off the Mt. Pleasant Area High School library has taken on a new look. The school now sports its latest example of school pride.

It’s the new Viking Spirit Store.

Created from an idea by Mt. Pleasant High School Principal Ken Williams, the Spirit Store is manned by the students of Ralph Cardella’s entrepreneur class. It is part of the curriculum.

“One of the first things that I noticed about this school when I first came here was the school spirit,” Williams said. “I thought that the store would be a great way to promote that spirit.”

Williams said launching and operating the store was designed to fit into the guidelines taught in the entrepreneur class.

“This is a great concept,” Cardella said. “It is a perfect fit for this class. The students will actually be running the store, and this will give them a very good idea of what they will be getting into if they start a small business.”

Cardella’s class is comprised of students in grades ninth through 12. All students will be given the opportunity to work the store.

The running of the store includes ordering, inventory tracking, stocking, order filling and accounting.

The idea for the store was launched and approved prior to the school year. Students were surprised when they were told that they would actually have the opportunity to take part in operating a business.

“They all seem to be excited,” Cardella said. “This store is theirs. I am only the coach. They are doing everything else.”

Several of the students who are participating in the Spirit Store enjoy the hands-on experience of the project.

“I think that this is great because I plan to start my own business when I get out of high school,” senior Ryan Stofko said. “I think I will be able to get a true prospective of a business, on a smaller scale, and this is really going to help me.”

“I think that this is a good way for us to get experience,” said senior Zac Garstecki said. “Instead of us just hearing about it, we are actually getting up and doing it.”

The students take orders at lunch and then fill them the next day.

Once fully operational, parents and members of the community will be able to go to the district Web site, hit the store link, and order items.

Once the year is over, the store will close and will reopen next year with the new entrepreneur class.

“Next year, it will start all over again with a new class, and they will start it back up from day one,” Cardella said.

All money generated at the store will then be put to use for student-based projects.

“Every penny that they raise is going back to the students,” Cardella said, adding that he and two students tally the accounts that are then turned into the district and kept in a separate, special fund. “We are hoping to use the money to defray the costs of assemblies, field trips and maybe yearbooks. This is for the benefit of the entire student body.”

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