Menomonee Falls high schoolers open school apparel store

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Students across southeast Wisconsin are getting real-world experiences that are taking them outside the pages of a textbook.

Some of those students are seniors at Menomonee Falls High School who just opened a brand new apparel store this school year.

"Falls Fan Gear" is completely run by Seniors in the Business Academy Capstone Class.

"We got to design it, we also got to order it and pick out the colors, and we were kind of able to make our own creation and see it come to life," Kevin Minley, Menomonee Falls senior, said.

From handling customers to creating the employee manual, and running all of the store's social media pages the students handle every aspect of running the business.

"I feel when we run into problems is when they learn the best," Jill Huges, Menomonee Falls Business Instructor, said. "They meet with the vendor, they see the cost, they have to figure out the pricing, and they hear customer comments."

Through the challenges, the students realize how valuable this experience is.

Andrew Karinen:"I feel really prepared going off into college and just knowing that I'm going to be one step of some of the other kids that are in my class," Andrew Karinen, Menomonee Falls Senior, said.

"How many people can say they left high school or even college with already starting up a business?" Tamia Powell, Menomonee Falls Senior, said.

Hughes said all of the store's proceeds are used to pay for the inventory, but once they start making a profit it will go back to the business department to keep giving students hands-on, in-community experiences.