Xtra Help

Struggling in school can feel hopeless for many, and tutoring has been a trusted method to improve and hone academic skills to uplift languishing students. Noticing this issue, junior Ava Young helped start Xponential Tutoring to offer such opportunities.

Young’s idea for her tutoring business started years before it began.

“The idea originally came back in middle school. I went to after school tutoring in the library, and I’d go there and help other students,” she said. “After freshman year, I got the idea to start a nonprofit.”

Aside from legal matters, starting Xponential Tutoring entailed a search for customers and students ready and willing to assist others in specific subjects.

“Finding students was not hard — the need is always there,” Young said. “Finding tutors is difficult because you want more than somebody who wants to do community service. You want someone who genuinely wants to see students improve their grades, improve their confidence in school and academics in general.”

Young and her co-creators have triumphed over the initial strife; now, Xponential Tutoring and affiliated tutors are dedicated to completing their goal of uplifting students to their highest potentials.

“Our mission is to provide a free tutoring service so that every student has the opportunity to achieve their academic goals,” she said. “We have a lot of students all over the district, both tutors and people we help, and we’ve seen their grades drastically go from below state level on standardized tests to state level or above.”

Through these experiences, Young has learned the importance of being there for someone who needs a hand, and is able to continue to apply that to her life and business.

“When a student struggles in school, it impacts their entire family — I never realized that until I started tutoring,” she said. “When you help these families out, they really appreciate what you do.”

Words by Emily Kozlowski

Photo Finish

When people think about taking pictures, many think about taking selfies with their friends. For junior Ryan Taylor, photography is much more than that. Playing football is where the initial idea came from.

“Playing the positions I do, I get maybe one or two pictures [of me],” he said. “It sucks — I want to be the reason kids don’t have that problem.”

His empathy has grown a business into a place for athletes who feel unseen and want photos for long-lasting memories.

“I’ve always enjoyed being around stuff like that,” Taylor said. “My older brother was in [TSPN] once, and I was exposed to it when I was little.”

As he’s always had an interest, he didn’t really start growing the hobby until his sophomore year.

“I rolled through winter sports, and then I went to a lot of baseball games, which is how I got really into it,” he said. “I’ve [done] this for a full year and a half.”

Taylor feels confident in his skills, and he’s now started to make a profit at certain activities. 

“I do $30 a game, then if a kid from another school asks me if I want to take photos, I charge them $35,” Taylor said. “If I’m going to a game where five people want pictures, I charge them $15 per person.”

Though his skills and interests have grown, he doesn’t know what the future holds for him and his business.

“If I can use it to make a little bit of money when I’m older, it’d be nice just as a weekend thing to get 

paid a little bit,” he said. “It isn’t my end goal for a job, but I still enjoy it a lot.”

Words by Lailah Pulley

Recipe for Success

While trying to balance a busy lifestyle, some students at BV are able to harness their creativity and profit from their hobbies. Sophomore Mattie Burleigh, who enjoys baking for herself and her frien

ds, is one such person.

“My freshman year, I was in Honors Bio, and I didn’t want to take my notes, so I made banana bread,” Burleigh said. “I started procrastinating homework by baking instead.”

Burleigh mostly makes cookies, but is still experienced with baking a variety of treats. She enjoys sharing her crea

tions with others at school.

“Last year, most of the time I baked something and gave it out to people at lunch just because I needed something to do other than homework,” she said. “I needed a break.”

Although Burleigh enjoys baking mostly as a hobby for herself, she does sell ite

ms when others ask her to bake for them.

“I sold snickerdoodles to Mrs. Huss one time,” she said. “My grandma lives in a closed area with a bunch of other 

old people, and they buy stuff sometimes.”

Burleigh tries to make time to continue her hobby despite having a busier schedule this year.

“Last year, I spent so much time baking, but this year because [I’m] taking harder classes, I feel like I spend two hours per week,” she said.

Cake is one of Burleigh’s favorite things to bake, but she doesn’t particularly enjoy icing them. With a friend to help with this process, it allows them each to focus on their specialty.

“I’m not good at decorating them, but I do have a friend that is really good at art,” Burleigh said. “A lot of the time we’ll hang out and I’ll bake, and then she’ll decorate.”

Words by Paige Faulkner

Power Wash

As many people have jobs such as retail or a hostess, for senior Henry Arnold, power washing is a muc

h more exciting job.

“It started last summer,” Arnold said. “My friend had the idea but never followed through; I did.”

He’s been growing his business for almost a year and now has over 70 different clients.

“I started with trash cans, but now I do decks, patios, houses and porches,” he said.

Arnold has aspirations to grow this business into something bigger, but for now, he’s just trying to build his client 

base.

During this time, he has created a system to determine pricing to have the best revenue. 

“It’s $35 for a trash can, but everything else usually ranges from $150 to $200,” he said.

With the growth of his business, he needs more hands as his work is becoming overwhelming.

“I’m probably going to hire some of my buddies to handle other aspects of the business,” he said.

In the end, he is focused on consistency and doing quality work, maintaining his equipment, and setting reali

stic goals for growth.

Words by Lailah Pulley

Lawn Bros

A little side hustle here, a part-time job there; throughout high school, finding a job that allows a sustainable balance for one’s schedule and interests can be quite a challenge.

Some students scan people through at retailers, spray down or detail cars, whip up various food and drinks,

 or something in between, while others prefer a more individualized, outdoorsy approach.

For sophomore and business owner of Miles’ Lawncare, Miles Faulkner, has picked up a variety of services to offer for his clients.

“We do anything from basic service mowing to trimming trees [and] seeding in the winter,” Faulkner said.

The vast possibilities of services allows for the most successful business model, including “some extraneous jobs as well as mowing.”

What started as a simple enjoyment for mowing effortlessly became a job idea.

“I started my business because I like to mow my lawn,” Faulkner said. “I thought it’d be fun.”

Similarly, senior Landon Nielsen, a co-business owner of GGM Services, the business idea came naturally from life.

“I like working outside,” Nielsen said. “I’ve always helped my dad outside.”

Coupled with the inconvenience of his job at the time, starting a more personal business pursuit seemed to be the best option.

“I didn’t really like my job at the time, and I thought it would be a good way to make money,” Nielsen said. “I get to provide my own schedule.”

Sophomore Charlie Simms, co-business owner of S&S Landscaping, adopted the company.

“I got it from my brother,” Simms said. “I do it with Hayes Stueve. Our two brothers made it i

n summer 2023, and passed it along.”

Continuing the legacy for those before him, Simms supports the survival of the company in a variety of ways.

“I have a truck,” Simms said.

Beyond the scheduling, logistics and grind of fostering an entrepreneurial feat, landscaping has allowed these students to practice something they enjoy and make a little money while they’re at it.

Simms said it best: “The work’s hard — it’s very rewarding.”

Words by Shea Splittorff