By Hector Flores
But for a few lucky seniors and juniors at East Meadow High School, this opportunity comes much earlier, in the form of a marketing class that gives them the chance to learn what life is like as an executive of the New York Islanders.
According to Melissa Woisin, who teaches the principles of marketing, the school works in conjunction with Junior Achievement of New York and the Islanders. Woisin explained that the students in her class create a corporation and elect 10 people to be on its board of directors. The board works with a volunteer from the Islanders who helps them learn how to operate and organize a business, and create a piece of marketable sports merchandise - which promotes the Islanders.
The students on the board set goals, create a business plan, sell stocks, open a bank account, divide company responsibilities, do market research, develop a product, sell the product and dissolve the company's assets to determine how much money they have made.
"They also negotiate with vendors, and sell their product at the Islanders' team store at the Broadway Mall and at Islander games," Woisin said. "The primary goal of the project is to foster a hands-on learning experience for the students and provide them with practical business skills."
This year, the class is selling sweatshirts adorned with an Islanders logo they designed. They have named their corporation Blue Line Productions, and elected classmate Jennifer Finnegan president. Finnegan said she is responsible for making sure every department gets its job done.
"We're currently working on three fliers," she said. "One that we'll use at the Broadway Mall, another on the Web site, and the third will be used for the teachers."
Finnegan added that the corporation recently met with vendors to go over pricing. "It depends on what will be placed on the sweatshirts," she said. "We were going to start with T-shirts, but being that it's the winter, we decided to go with sweatshirts."
The company's target market is 25- to 35-year-old diehard fans, Finnegan explained.
Kristin Lomardo, vice president of marketing, said that the sweatshirt logo, which features two hockey sticks and a puck, was chosen after the students observed fans at the Islanders team store, at games and practices and at school. Lomardo added that the best lesson she has learned so far is how to catch someone's eye.
Mary Monahan, vice president of human resources, called the experience rewarding. "I'm the peace-keeper and maintain calm," she said of her role in the company. "I'm a people person, and I help out in the organization process."
Sari Barocas, vice president of production, said the experience has reinforced her desire to pursue a career in production and design. "I always found drawing and designing fun," Barocas said. "And this is something I want to do."
Also finding her niche was Finnegan, who considers working with the Islanders a dream come true, and plans a career in sports marketing or management. "This experience helps you decide what you want to do for the rest of your life," she said.
Finnegan's father, Tom, is thankful for the program, and said that it was something his daughter was very happy doing. "She is ecstatic about the program, and has been an Islanders fan for a very long time and wants to eventually work for them," he said. "She would come home and tell us about the players she met. I'm excited for her, and it's a great program, because it gives kids a great opportunity."
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
