Last month Venice High School in Venice, Florida, entered the Follett Challenge which "showcases and rewards educators who are aligning their curriculum and approach in order to teach the skills needed in the 21st century, and who are implementing a collaborative program with others in their school."
The in-school graphic design class and business Indian Ink is a stellar example of a student-empowering program that readies students for the 21st century workplace and culture using VariQuest Visual Learning Tools.
Of the program that mainly utilizes the Perfecta 2400, the Design Center 2300, and the Cold Laminator 2510, Principal Turgeon said, "The potential is unlimited," then:"Our students have really embraced it, the entrepreneurial skills, the opportunity to understand what it means to run a business, and starting here at school and will soon branch out into the community which I think will be just a tremendous opportunity for our students, our staff, and the community. We're very very excited about Indian Ink and where it's going to go for our school."
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this program that is clearly demonstrated in the video is the ownership the students take of the business. Not often do students carry titles like Systems Manager, CFO, CEO, and Marketing Manager while in high school. It is clear that Ms. Zubyk has created an atmostphere and culture of student empowerment and confidence. As she says in the video, "I'm always looking for innovative ways to take what students are learning in the classroom into the real world, and so this year I decided to start Indian Ink."
Here are a few quotes from the students that demonstrates the valuable skills they are learning:
- "One of the best things I've walked away with...is being able to collaborate, share ideas, and make clients happy with the posters we can provide." -Ryan, Graphic Designer
- "My job here is to run the invoices, sales reports, and basically run the day-to-day operations of the business." -Robert, CFO
- "Within Indian Ink I'm learning about the best practices for maintaining and managing my future graphic design business" -Noah, CEO
Visit the Indian Ink website here and learn more about how schools use VariQuest Visual Learning Tools to support CTE programs here. Want to learn how your school could implement a program like this? Click below to set up a personalized demonstration!
