MCP Directory

30 | 2022 MCDONALD COUNTY DIRECTORY Ad Number: 022422nwr0371 Ad Number: 022422nwr6401 417-451-2712 737 W. Harmony St., neoSHo, mo WWW.tylerScarpetmo.com Your complete floor covering store! Carpet Vinyl Plank Ceramic Tile Area Rugs Hardwoods We carry all major Brands 102 Main Street, Pineville, MO 64856 417-223-SHIP Suzanne Davis and Debbie Dyar Monday Thru Friday 9am-4:30pm by Randy Rice - MCDONALD COUNTY DIRECTORY The mission statement of the McDonald County Chamber of Commerce talks about its commitment to promoting economic growth throughout the county it serves. And what could be more essential to that mission than establishing a Student Chamber to help prepare the area youth for becoming active members of the McDonald County business community. Launched a few years ago, the Student Chamber objectives are to become a necessary addition to the McDonald County Chamber of Commerce assisting with membership generation, office and clerical assistance and fundraising. "The Student Chamber originated in 2018 it was really a combination of two things," explained Charla Brewer, Director of the McDonald County Chamber and founder of the McDonald County Student Chamber. "First, it was a passion project of mine, helping high school juniors and seniors transition into the working world whether they are going to college or not. The second reason was the fact that the chamber, itself, was in need of manpower because we didn't have the resources to hire." The Student Chamber works hand in hand with the school district foundation but is a separate entity. The idea is to coordinate projects together with students to help them learn some skills about running a small business or nonprofit, and help the chamber of commerce get some goals accomplished and raise scholarship funds for the students who participate in the program. After putting their heads together, the Student Chamber and the school district came up with their inaugural project: The Commerce Coffeeshop. "The Student Chamber reached out to us and wanted to do an intern program with the kids," said Kristy Gilgen, Business Teacher at McDonald County High School. "Out of several discussions over a year we came up with the idea of doing a coffeeshop as the chamber's project with our school." The Student Chamber was tasked with converting the chamber of commerce's office in Pineville into a coffeeshop. And that came into fruition with the high school class of 2021. "A new grant awarded to the Student Chamber from T Mobile is allowing the program to expand," Charla said. "First, by helping to finish furnishing the current Commerce Coffeeshop location and also to help fund a mobile coffee cart for the school. The details are still being worked out but everything will be decided by August 2022 for the new school year." The Commerce Coffeeshop has already proved to be a great benefit to the students who participate. "The high school kids have to run it," Kristy said. "They do the pricing, they do the ordering, the deposits. It's really a lot of work on them. And we are trying to work this all together as a community project." Sherry Lemm, another teacher at the high school who is involved with the project, finds it very rewarding. "What is immensely satisfying to me is watching the kids grow in the process," she said. "They come in and everything is completely new to them. They learn about running a business and sometimes they even discover a career path they hadn't considered before." An example of that is Iral Marcos who worked on the project his senior year. He was planning on going into another field but working on the advertising component of the coffeeshop business he found his real passion: graphic design. He's now studying graphic design as a freshman at Northwest Arkansas Community College. "So this program not only gives valuable business experience to the kids but sometimes opens their minds to a completely new career," Sherry said. "Look for this kid in three years. People are going to want to hire him." Student Chamber helps high schoolers get down to business PHOTO BY ALEXUS UNDERWOOD/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS. Sarah Allen, marketing and customer relations manager for Commerce Coffee Shop, in the shop's kitchen.

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