Enterprising Students to Showcase Wares

BATAVIA, NY (03/06/2013)(readMedia)-- Never be cold again with SnapApps heater app. Get away to Bora Bora with Vision Vacations. Boost your energy with a Bolt Beverage. These virtual businesses created by area high school students will sell their wares during the Virtual Business Trade Fair at Genesee Community College on Tuesday, March 19, 2013. The public is welcome to shop at their booths and spend $10,000 virtual dollars during trading hours from 10:00 - 11:45 a.m.-adding to the dynamic business learning experience that regional students and teachers have come to enjoy and appreciate each year.

The Trade Fair is a culmination of learning for high school students from seven schools in the GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, Wyoming) region. The students develop a product and create a business during the course of the semester. "It involves everything from writing up a business plan to building a website," said GCC Career Pathways program director Debbie Dunlevy. "At the Trade Fair, their booths and marketing strategies are judged, as well as the sales they generate during the Fair."

Students arrive on campus at 9 a.m. to set up, and virtual trading begins at 10 in a near frenzy. Visitors shop at the Fair, each receiving a credit card worth $10,000 virtual dollars to spend from 10:00 -11:45 a.m. Virtual business students also receive a card with $5,000 virtual dollars. GCC accounting students manage the bank and tally all sales. Other GCC classes are also involved, including entrepreneurship students who evaluate the business plans, while GCC's information technology students will be judging the business websites later in the semester.

At 12:30 p.m. the awards are given for best booth, salesmanship, marketing strategies, and total sales. Websites, catalogs and business plans are judged later. Students leave campus at 1 pm.

"This is an excellent experience for high school students," said Dunlevy. "The curriculum we've written for this program covers the Business 101 course here at GCC, so many of these students can earn college credit completing this class." Other schools interested in participating at future Virtual Business Fairs should contact Dunlevy, Genesee Community College Career Pathways program director at 585-343-0055 ext. 6316 or dkdunlevy@genesee.edu.

GCC's Career Pathways program helps students explore career options and make a smooth transition from high school to college and ultimately to professional careers.

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