School store provides students with on-the-job learning experience

When you walk into our school store at Milford High School, you will be immediately greeted by one of the staff with a warm smile. Feel free to ask questions about sales or items that are available for purchase and they will gladly help you out. Looking around in the store you see an abundance of items screaming with Maverick pride. Here, students and teachers come to buy apparel and other accessories. What makes the school store more alluring to others is that it is run by MHS seniors. The students apply to be a part of the class and then are chosen by Business Teacher Ronda Cianferra.

Cianferra has been teaching and improving the school store for many years now.

“I enjoy teaching this class because it’s a hands -on retail store inside of the school, and you get to see and communicate with other students, and it’s a great way for students to see the business side of stores, ” she said. Cianferra sets up the store to make it fun and interactive.

While taking this class, students will earn a math credit.

“It keeps your schedule interesting and it’s a different type of class rather than your regular math class,”said Logan Rutter, a student in the class. There are lots of sales in the store during the school year. Inside the school store this year are new Nike products, “which should be in and on display in a few weeks,” said Cianferra. There are many different items to show your school spirit at MHS games.

“My favorite part about operating the school store this year is the interaction with different and new people,” student Lynn Hancsak said.

MHS school store has sales going on almost every week, which are brought up by a few teams and then are sent to Cianferra, where she then accepts or declines the sale price. The sales are advertised through flyers, the windows on the store and through the morning announcements. The Milford High School staff gets an additional 10  percent off all apparel and accessories. They also have accounts with the school, so if they don’t have money on them, they can charge it to their account and pay later.

There are many aspects of business that are learned while being in charge of the store. In just the first two weeks of being at school. Rutter and Hancsak have both learned how to order different supplies, how to advertise, how to make sure everything looks neat and appealing to students, staff or parents. They also learned how to communicate with others professionally.

During the class, students will learn new communication skills for formal and informal conversations.

“The interaction between new and students I already know makes this class so much fun to teach and I would love everyone to have this experience,” Cianferra said enthusiastically.