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Carpinteria High School students get a surprise: an all-expense paid trip KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESSCarpinteria High School business students react with surprise at the news that their upcoming trip to New York City is being covered by a grant from HSBC Bank USA. The Virtual Enterprises students will compete at a summit there in April.
When the surprise came Thursday morning, Carpinteria High School business students cheered and applauded — and for good reason.
They’re getting an all-expense-paid trip to New York City. That’s where the hard-working students in the Virtual Enterprises course will compete in April at VE’s Youth Business Summit.
The students knew they were going to the Big Apple. They didn’t know that HSBC Bank USA had decided to give them a grant to cover the costs.
Teri Jones, the Northridge-based VE regional director, told the students the good news while their teacher and school administrators, who all knew about the surprise before the students, listened.
“I know you guys applied for a recent grant. That grant is offering free airfare, hotel and other accommodations for two chaperones and eight students,” Mrs. Jones said. “There was only one grant that they (HSBC Bank USA) gave this whole side of the United States, leading all the way from Texas over to California.
Julie Shamblin, the instructor in the Virtual Enterprises class, talks about the program.“And you guys got it.”
The students immediately cheered, and their teacher said she was relieved that she could finally talk about the grant.
The students worked hard and quickly to apply for the grant, and instructor Julie Shamblin had to wait until Thursday for them to get the news.
Virtual Enterprises students gather outside after getting the news a grant would cover their upcoming trip to New York City.“I don’t keep secrets!” Mrs. Shamblin said, smiling. She and her happy students laughed.
Standing in the back, Diana Rigby, the superintendent of the Carpinteria Unified School District, assured the students that the district would make sure expenses would be covered so all 29 students could go to the Big Apple. She told the News-Press later that the district would reach out to other sources, such as local nonprofits, to complement the grant from HSBC Bank USA.
In Virtual Enterprises, students create a company, in Carpinteria’s case, Everest, and market and sell imaginary products on a virtual website. Mrs. Shamblin said the products varied from candy to clothing and shoes.
Members of the Virtual Enterprises class address their classmates and visitors. The program teaches students skills such as public speaking.The students are responsible for all of it, from deciding who’s the CEO, COO and director of human resources, to how they will promote their products. They treat it like a real business.
And on Thursday morning, their teacher and administrators were bursting with pride.
“I can’t tell you how thrilled we are and how proud we are of our students and our teacher, Mrs. Shamblin,” Mrs. Rigby told the students. “We want to make sure each and every one of you has the opportunity to go to New York.
“Thank you for working so hard,” she said. “You represent us so well.”
Principal Gerardo Cornejo echoed that.
“We are looking forward to what you do when you go out in the real word,” Mr. Cornejo said.
Mrs. Shamblin told the News-Press that she has taken previous VE classes to New York City, but this is the first time in the school’s history that the expenses were all covered by a grant.
The teacher praised the students for being hard-working and taking charge of their Everest company. “They came up with this idea of representing markets all across the country for people who can’t travel to get authentic products.”
Alea Dahlquist, a senior in the VE class and the chief operating officer of the Everest company, was all smiles after Thursday’s news. (She was filling in that day for CEO Tristan Cravens, who couldn’t be there that day.)
“I was so excited and happy because a lot of us are going to be able to go,” to the Big Apple, Alea, 17, told the News-Press.
“It’s going to be my first time (in New York City),” said Alea, who’s planning to study education in college but feels VE has taught her lifelong skills.
“It’s making me smarter about money,” she said.
Alea said the students will be staying in Times Square and will get a chance to do some sight-seeing, including a visit to the 9-11 Memorial.
How about going to the top of the Statue of Liberty?
“Maybe. I’m a little nervous about heights, but I might just do that,” Alea said with a smile. “You only get to do that so often.”
email: dmason@newspress.com
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