As a freshman, finding one’s niche can often come with anxiety and confusion. Questioning which prerequisites to take and how to fit in is at the forefront of many young minds. Luckily, BV Business is taking steps to alleviate some of this fret by implementing an outreach program to the feeder middle schools, Blue Valley Middle School and Prairie Star Middle School.
At the head of this initiative is BV Business President senior Mundeep Kaberwal, Vice President of Operations junior Mason Chidlow and Vice President of Marketing Kate Kozlowski.
Kozlowski and Chidlow characterize the outreach as an approach to implementing essential business-oriented skills into the middle school students, in the hopes that these pursuits will both persuade them to join BV Business and prepare them for their professional careers.
“It’ll benefit our chapter because we’re going to increase recruitment for next year,” Chidlow said. “Eighth graders that are currently going to the meetings will hopefully have an insight of what BV Business is, so when they’re coming into high school, they’re enrolling in the specific courses needed.”
Kozlowski finds that many aspects of this initiative are beneficial for the younger students and even the BV Business members themselves.
“It’s cool to see how the middle schoolers are interacting with each other and how I can support them so that they become better speakers,” Kozlowski said. “[Also,] because of outreach, I am a lot more professional when I go for an interview or when I’m reaching out to an adult or company.”
As the group continues to make visits to the middle schools, the goal is for BV Business members to create “the image of business as an enjoyable one,” Kaberwal said. An additional goal would be that the students are informed about the prerequisite classes offered at BV — chiefly Business Essentials — which provide fundamental skills and background knowledge needed for participation in the business programs.
Much preparation is needed for these entertaining yet educational visits to take place. As president, Kaberwal’s duties include working with the other officers to organize games and activities as well as attending logistical meetings with the principals and parents.
For many of the BV Business members, going to the middle schools to showcase professional skills serves as a mentoring opportunity.
“A lot of middle schoolers are isolated,” Kozlowski said. “To be able to get them to break out of their shell and go present to a larger group is something that they can carry on to high school as well as professional careers.”
