Student-run enterprises – from a cafe to a media company – turn classroom lessons into hands-on business experience at Chatham Charter School
By Rebekah Mann | Photography by John Michael Simpson
Larisa Myles Spillman’s high school classroom at Chatham Charter School is standing room only on Friday mornings, packed with students gathering to discuss topics ranging from perfecting business-appropriate attire to how to pull off their latest fundraiser.
They’re members of DECA, a global organization that teaches developing minds the principles of business, entrepreneurship and professionalism. DECA Inc. was originally founded in 1946 as the Distributive Education Clubs of America as a way to unify nonprofit student clubs across the nation. It now includes 4,252 high school chapters worldwide – with 158 in North Carolina alone.
Larisa has served as Chatham Charter’s DECA adviser for the past eight years, helping students turn classroom lessons into real-world experience. She says extracurriculars, like sports and the arts, are equally as important for students, but cocurricular groups like DECA actively help kids take what they learn in class and extend it into their club activities.
Chatham Charter’s DECA chapter competes in three major conferences – district, state and international – each year to demonstrate what they’ve learned. Last school year, the team earned the Chapter of Distinction award and several others at the state level, marking its most successful year to date.
“This was one of those things that really showcased their willingness to work together to achieve something,” Larisa says.
The group also travels to leadership conferences, which so far has included trip to cities like Greensboro, North Carolina; Washington, D.C.; Orlando, Florida; and Atlanta.
Since charter schools don’t receive the same funding as traditional public schools, students rely on their own business acumen to raise money for their travel. “It’s a business and marketing organization,” Larisa says, and so the group flexes those skills in order to support the costs of these trips.
The club hosts fundraisers open to the community, like its Knights of Terror haunted trail in October, but Larisa says most of its funding is generated through Student-Based Enterprises, or SBEs. The chapter currently runs three: Castle Creations, Castle Cafe and Castle Media – each managed by student leaders who oversee daily operations.
Castle Creations, an apparel design and printing service, launched in 2020 as a way for students to earn money and fund a trip to the international competition. They began by selling water bottles and face masks – which were in high demand during the pandemic.
“It was kind of born out of necessity, because we also needed a way to collect membership dues and things like that,” Larisa says. “We weren’t at school, so we needed an online way to do it.”
The Castle Creations team pivoted to creating more custom apparel for school spirit wear and local events when there was no longer a large demand for masks. The organization now serves a few corporate clients and recently completed an order for 50 koozies and 30 T-shirts for a golf tournament in Greensboro.
Once the chapter found its footing with Castle Creations, the students launched Castle Cafe, a morning spot serving smoothies, lattes and other drinks to faculty and staff.
Student managers Tori Vaughn, Kaylee Root and Mak Allen say working in the cafe gives them a social outlet before classes begin. “Since we’re seniors, I don’t really get to see anyone unless I have a class with them,” Kaylee says.
DECA also helps the students grow professionally. Kaylee says she’s learned how to stand by the decisions she makes while working as a student manager. “[DECA] taught me how to collaborate with others to [achieve] a common goal,” Mak adds. Tori similarly credits DECA with improving her public speaking skills.
DECA’s newest SBE, Castle Media, focuses on photography and videography. “Eli Christenbury and his brother, Silas Christenbury, a former DECA president, are very talented photographers and videographers, and have been our personal camera crew for the past several years,” Larisa says. “I’ve told them for a long time they could start their own business. When I approached [Eli] last year about doing it for himself officially and using it as an entrepreneurship competition project for DECA, he immediately said he wanted to benefit the chapter and to get his friends, who are also talented and interested in photography, the chance to be part of it – just a small glimpse into his character.” Eli, Adam Reese and Tannin Scheidt, all now seniors, founded the business last year.
“I [realized] I would like to share the experience with other DECA members and not just myself,” Eli says. “That’s when we started talking [among] the three of us about creating Castle Media and turning it into a school business.”
Castle Media operates under the slogan, “From moments to memories,” photographing school events – from sports games to graduation ceremonies. Photographers wear T-shirts made by Castle Creations with QR codes on the back, linking directly to their online gallery where families can purchase digital downloads or order prints.
Adam, who also serves as chapter president, hopes to expand Castle Media’s offerings to include senior portraits and other sessions beyond school events. “We’re just building our way into the market,” he says. The trio also plans to purchase professional photography equipment for the SBE before they graduate at the end of the school year (the business currently operates with the students’ personal cameras).
Adam also aims to expand travel, working to add an Orlando conference on sports and entertainment marketing to this year’s schedule. “Some of my favorite DECA memories are [from] traveling with the club,” he says.
Larisa agrees. “It’s amazing to see them experience things they wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to do,” she says, adding that she also values the resume support DECA provides students as they apply to colleges and jobs. “It’s going to help them, no matter what they do,” she says. “I’m thankful that it’s something they want to be a part of.”
