Stagg HS Entrepreneurship students profit $1,600, donate to PAWS

Stagg High School Entrepreneurship students completed a Shark Tank inspired lesson that put what they learned in class to the test. And it paid off for them and for PAWS of Tinley Park as they donated their profits of more than $1,600 to the local animal shelter. It was the highest profit earned in the project's history.

Teams of students determined a product to sell to their peers during lunch periods. They forecasted sales and inventory to create a budget and developed a marketing plan. They then pitched their ideas to a panel of Sharks comprised of school and district administrators to seek a start-up funding investment. One team sold milkshakes and the other popcorn.

In the end, their business models worked. After paying back the start-up costs, they turned a collective profit of more than $1,600 which was donated to PAWS of Tinley Park, a non-profit organization the teams selected as the beneficiary of their efforts.

The PAWS of Tinley Park is a no-kill animal shelter dedicated to the protection of domestic animals and to the attempt to prevent animal cruelty in the surrounding communities. It is dedicated to finding safe and permanent new homes for domestic animals as well as helping the public choose the right companions for their families. To learn more about PAWS of Tinley Park or to join the Stagg High School students in supporting its mission through donation, go to https://pawstinleypark.org/donate/

Photo caption:
PAWS of Tinley Park Board member Jan Kocek and Secretary Candy Staros accept a $1,600 from District 230 Superintendent Dr. James M. Gay and Stagg High School Teacher Sandy Kuypers on behalf of the Entrepreneurship students who earned the profits in their Shark Tank class project to donate to the animal shelter.