Winter is filled with fun activities like sledding, holidays and time with friends and family. Although these activities can be hard to enjoy as a student worrying about finals, the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is hosting a Winter Wonderland to try to help students enjoy this time of year.
From Dec. 12 to Dec. 16, there will be a Winter Wonderland in the main commons with a photo booth accessible to everyone all week, along with various fun activities like a raffle and pictures with Santa Claus. To get a photo taken in the photo booth, students must bring one dollar or a toy for the Toys for Tots program. This program gives toys to children who’s families can’t afford presents for the holidays. All proceeds will go to the program to help give children the gifts their families can’t afford.
This idea started with the Advanced Marketing class. The teacher, Scott Fuenfhausen, pitched the event to the students and they were all enthused. Fuenfhausen quickly turned the project into their final.
Senior Ellen Terry an advanced marketing student, is excited to incorporate charity work and business into a school event. She explains how much work DECA has put into this event.
“We’ve spent all our class time the past month planning and organizing for it,” Terry said. “Our marketing teacher is the one who originally came up with the idea to do a photo booth and we ran with it from there.”
Senior Carlo Montano, a student in the Advanced Marketing class, also expressed excitement toward the idea.
“We really wanted to go all out with this and make this thing great,” Montano said. “Our teacher also wanted us to incorporate [DECA] to try to boost awareness of it.”
Fuenfhausen approves of the student’s work and supports them in their efforts to raise money for charity while learning more about marketing.
“In my class, I try to give the students real projects. They seem to enjoy it more when it’s real work,” Fuenfhausen said. “We try to do philanthropic work in order to give back to the community, like every good business does, and this is a good opportunity to do that.”
Like Fuenfhausen said, the main goal is to raise money for charity and to have fun. Throughout the week, fun activities will take place during both lunches to ensure Fuenfhausen’s goal is achieved.
On Monday, students are able to enter a raffle and tickets will be sold for $3 each. For the raffle, DECA will pick three winners and the winners will receive a “Christmas prize.”
For Tuesday, the photo booth will be open and DECA members get a free picture for all their efforts to increase the holiday spirit. For non-DECA members, the photo booth costs one dollar.
“I think this will be an exciting way to get a fun picture with your friends,” Montano said. “Plus, all the proceeds will go to charity.”
And on Wednesday, students can get pictures with Santa Claus for $2. Terry thinks that out of these little events, the photo booth will be most successful.
Overall, DECA members have worked hard to put together this fun event. They all hope to earn lots of money for charity and to allow students to have fun while the advanced marketing class learns about marketing.
“We hope to learn how advertising is applied in the real world and how it actually affects potential customers,” Montano said.
Terry believes that more will come out of the Winter Wonderland. She hopes this will become a tradition for the school despite possible flaws.
“It’s the first year we’ve done it and we’re hoping to continue every year after this,” Terry said. “Since it’s the first time, there may be some kinks but hopefully in the next few years we can continue to improve and be more successful.”