Students in Alyce Leonardi’s business class at Corvallis High School got a little extra help in their training this year through the involvement of the Ravalli County Economic Development Agency. Leonardi was looking for a way to make business class a little more interesting than normal and asked Julie Foster of RCEDA for help. Foster jumped at the chance and put together a team of instructors that could present the basics in a fun and exciting way.
“We decided to just present the same instructional program that we would for any adult interested in starting a business,” said Foster.
The students dreamed up a business and then went through the rigorous process of producing a business plan that included learning to produce income statements, cash flow projections, and even balance sheets.
The students put together a rough draft of their business plans and the instructors critiqued it. The students got instruction on the details and a final draft was produced.
“We got a lot of interesting business plans,” said John Schneeberger of RCEDA. One student planned a gunsmith business, another a custom pants shop, one planned a business as an architect, one a business doing environmental education, another an electronic repair business.
Schneeberger estimated that if the plans were fulfilled, hundreds of new jobs would be created.
Roxie Rademacher got an award for the best business plan.