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No Comments [ Add Comment ]It's all in the marketing for 15 students
By LORETTA PARKSYRACUSE -- The Winter Sports Assembly at Syracuse High School last week was more than just a pep rally for 15 marketing students.
It was a time to strut their stuff in hopes they could impress teacher Brett Higgins.
"I think it's a toss up," said Samantha Belt, project manager of the Blue Team, about who would come out the winner.
"I think we did all right," said Spencer Cook, project manager of the White Team.
Neither they nor their teammates will know who won the third competition in "Titan Apprentice" until Tuesday after school when they meet in "the board room," where Higgins will award the winning team and fire the student or students who slacked on the losing team.
Higgins and other teachers judge the students on how they got other students to participate and how the activities went.
"It's interesting to hear them blame each other (for losing)," Higgins said.
At the beginning of the year, 34 students signed up to participate in the program based on the popular TV reality show, "The Apprentice." They were then divided into three teams, Higgins said. Some students dropped out, but others were fired.
Their first task was to sell as many Chick-fil-A sandwiches at a football game as they could.
"They had to come up with creative ideas to get students to come to their booth," Higgins said.
The winning team received a $200 check from the fast food restaurant.
The second task was a "trunk or treat" event for elementary school students.
The winning team, which had a carnival theme, received a $350 gift basket from businesses to split among themselves.
The final prize, Higgins said, he hopes will be "significant."
They are looking for sponsors for either a scholarship for the winning student or someone to donate a used car. The last task is scheduled for April, when two students will compete for the title of "Titan Apprentice."
After the final competition, "the board room," will be in front of a live audience in the school's auditorium, Higgins said.
Higgins said the students understand it is a competition.
Josh Cranford, a senior, said he didn't think the first task was too hard, but after the second one he's worried about getting fired.
Recently, the marketing students met in Higgins' classroom and were told the three teams were demolished. They then were regrouped into two teams -- the Blue Team and the White Team.
The teams were each given 10 minutes at the assembly to organize a skit, activity or contest. The team able to get the most students at the assembly participating will be declared the winner and receive a party at a race track in Layton along with pizza.
One of the objectives of the task was also to get as many students and faculty at Syracuse High School to back their team. The teams encouraged students and teachers to wear white or blue.
The Blue Team was first on the agenda.
They came out with a "Blue Man" group, which performed on plastic trash cans, glass jars, a desk and a board.
"They did a much better job than I expected," Belt said.
Scott Hampton, one of the percussion members, said it was no big deal.
"We started on Thursday and then held three 40-minute practices before school," said Julian Alvarez, another percussion student.
The group was followed by a tug of war between students and athletes, which the athletes won. The athletes competed against each other in a race on paddle boards around the gym, then a slam dunk contest.
Blue Team members also tossed blue water bottles and blue Frisbees into the crowd. The items were donated by a local chiropractor, Belt said.
The White Team had Steve Pikola head a dance-off contest between three students and wrestling coach, Jamie Escuriex.
The participants in the dance off were judged by the students. They cheered for the contestant they thought did the best dance.
At the end it was a tie between the coach and a student.
"I really liked (the White Team's) idea," Belt said. "I think we needed to think ours out better because it was much shorter than expected."
Cook said he thought they did OK, but he felt rushed in the planning.
"I think we could have done a better job in communication and planning," Cook said. "We should have had a better game plan."
As to which team Higgins thought did the best?
That answer comes Tuesday.
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