By Joshua Price/Sports Editor
Gadsden City High School students and faculty know exactly how to make use of a dusty, vacant room.
On Feb. 1, GCHS opened its first “School Store.” School stores, which offer coffee, pastries and school apparel for students, administrators and visitors, are among the top trends among large high schools and junior colleges across the state.
But it is more than just a store, it is a valuable education tool for the Titans.
“This is a great opportunity for our students to get real-life job experience here at school,” GCHS principal Keith Blackwell said. “The store will be managed by students taking marketing courses and they will be able to co-op right here on campus.”
Gadsden mayor Sherman Guyton is proud of the progress made by the school.
“This store will give our students plenty of advanced training that is simply not available in most local schools. Our students will learn marketing and business management skills early, giving them an advantage in such a tough job market.”
Blackwell said the store will give GCHS students a unique opportunity.
“It’s not just a store, it’s an opportunity,” Blackwell added. “Students will learn what it is like to open up and run a business. They will learn to manage overhead costs, labor costs and logistics of businesses. I was surprised at the amount of money that the store profited in the first two days it was open. This will be a great success for this school.”
“This is just another way this school and the City of Gadsden are working to deliver the best education for our students,” Guyton added. “I am proud of the efforts of the faculty and students here to continue to make progress in this school system.”