ARKADELPHIA -- Arkadelphia High School DECA students recently had a chance to extend their learning to a location outside the classroom by participating in the Memphis Grizzlies' Pro Sports Career Day at the FedEx Forum.
According to a news release, the 24 AHS students involved in DECA who went on the trip put to action the mission of the national student-led organization which is to "prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and college around the globe."
Arkadelphia High School's DECA club, led by career education teacher David Gustaveson, conducted fundraisers to raise the money for the trip, but not just any "would-you-like-to buy-some-cookies" fundraiser.
"We gave the students a chance to make as much money as they wanted to give them a chance to show their entrepreneur abilities," Gustaveson said in the release. "We didn't put a price on our product, but rather gave the students the ability to use their business skills to raise as much money as possible with everybody selling the same product."
After money through this fundraiser and others the group conducts was raised to cover membership dues, students are able to use money for various projects and trips, including this trip to Memphis.
Along with over 1,000 students from high schools in Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee, the AHS DECA students from a panel of executives in five of the professional sports organizations in Memphis.
Hosted by Memphis Grizzlies "Grind City Media" senior editor, contributor and analyst, Michael Wallace, the panel included executives from basketball, soccer, football and gaming. Panel members were Makinzie Foos, director of business operations for the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G-League (developmental league); Travis Lamprecht, director of marketing for Memphis 901 FC soccer team, Kosah Irby, president of Memphis Express football team (Alliance of American Football) startup professional league; and Lang Whitaker, general manager of Grizz Gaming -- NBA2K gaming team affiliate of the Memphis Grizzlies
According to the release, the panel took about an hour to talk to the students before entertaining a question-and-answer session. The panel took turns explaining their career paths, talked about experiences in high school or college that most prepared them for where they are today, talked about some of the biggest challenges in their current situation, addressed some of the thing they "wish they would have known" when they were in high school, and touched on some of the most inspirational people in their lives.
Gustaveson said he was pleased with the panel and thought it provided some great advice and tips for the students in attendance.
"The panel did a really good job of giving some practical advice for these students as they begin to look at what they might want to do with their futures," Gustaveson said in the release. "I'm glad that our students who went on this trip were able to hear some tips from successful executives and hear from them their career paths and that you're not always going to have that job that you might want, but you need to do the job you have well in order to get to that point."
After the panel, the group ate in downtown Memphis before returning to the FedEx Forum to take in an NBA game between the Grizzlies and the Denver Nuggets.
"It was a successful trip for the students and I hope they were able to take something from the panel that will stick with them," Gustaveson said in the release. "We're grateful that we were able to take our students to Memphis for this event and look forward to doing other things to help our students complement their learning that takes place in the classroom with experiences such as this."
School on 01/13/2019