Fond du Lac HIgh School's Cardinal Nest - Selling Playoff Shirts

Academic and real life opportunities for students at Fond du Lac High School (FHS) are endless and the rewards the students receive for their participation in these activities live on forever. From national recognition in journalism and musical honors to youth apprenticeships and business partnerships, the experiences are exactly what today’s young adults deserve to help prepare them for future. One of these avenues is provided for the FHS marketing and entrepreneurship students who operate the Cardinal’s Nest.  

The Cardinal’s Nest sells FHS apparel and novelty items, and food and beverage products at the school store as well as at its satellite space at Fruth Field.  With the recent success of the school’s varsity football team, the group has had the privilege of creating a playoff shirt for the 2018 season.  As with previous years, the group begins with generating design ideas and then solicits bids from local screen printing companies.  Upon considering their needs and strategy, the group selects a printer, develops an order process, creates a promotional strategy to reach their target market, and then processes and distributes all of the orders.  Although it may not seem like a hefty deal to some, and quite regular and ordinary for others, this is a new world for high school seniors who are considering their career options for the future.  

 “In May of every school year, I get to welcome a new team of students for the upcoming school year and throw them into one of the best opportunities we have to offer at FHS,” said Jennifer King, Business and Marketing Teacher at FHS.  “That team makes the business decisions, not me, and they learn and grow throughout the year from the decisions they make.  It’s not just the lessons of operating a business; it’s the human relations and life lessons that they learn along the way as well.”  Just like a real business, the Nest is led by student co-leaders (managers) who oversee the departments:  controls, inventory, creative and social promotions, public relations, human resources, visual merchandising, apparel, and housekeeping.

Along with the playoff shirts and increasing school spirit through activities and events at FHS, the Nest team supports the local FDL community with fund and product drives, local youth teams with sponsorship and promotional opportunities, and local elementary schools with new equipment for playgrounds.  All of the funds generated through the Nest go right back where it came from:  the local community, schools, and students.

“The greatest part of my job is watching the growth that I see these students go through during the year; it’s really incredible,” said King.  “Things begin to click for them and they really start making mindful decisions as a team for the success and future of the Nest.”  

Many people in the education and business fields have a hard time quantifying what college and career readiness looks like, but students who participate in a SBE demonstrate the career and technical education skills that are desired by employers.  Today, former Nest students have built some very impressive resumes and can be found working in a variety of areas as business and financial consultants, managers, project leaders, entrepreneurs, skilled trades, and educators.