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GHS business students pitch upcoming children’s museum
A community project which has its roots in a collaboration between The Castle and the Putnam County Museum has been inspired through the work of local students and teachers.
Now the effort is looking to gaining the support of community partners to help finally make it a reality in the next few months.
Students in Kara Jedele’s Intro to Business class at Greencastle High School presented an in-class pitch Friday morning inviting local leaders and organizations to support the Putnam County Children’s Museum.
Jedele’s business students, who range from freshmen to seniors, are just one group involved in what is hoped to come to fruition through a county-wide initiative.
The idea for the Putnam County Children’s Museum goes back to September of last year, when Lisa Mock of the Putnam County Museum and Beth Benedix of The Castle announced a partnership to bring more educational and age-appropriate content for children.
In a previously-released video, Benedix explains that the impetus is to help teachers meet standards for externships and project-based learning by creating unique exhibits. In turn, Mock believed the collaboration would help drive the museum’s appeal with younger visitors.
This project also involves local businesses and organizations contributing to these exhibits, as well as getting the word out about what they do in the community in the process.
According to The Castle’s website, Jedele is also the organization’s media coordinator and has worked in this capacity since 2017. In this way, the connections between The Castle, the museum and the schools have influenced the reach of the project.
The mission statement is that the project, “... provides the youth of Putnam County with a unique, hands-on learning experience that exposes them to neighborhood businesses and takes learning beyond the classroom.”
Jedele’s business class at GHS has been mainly focused on getting the project idea out to potential sponsors, as well as organizing fundraisers to cover the cost of the exhibits which will make up the children’s museum.
Three sponsorship levels for community partners will include verbal recognition and having a logo on flyers and tickets, as well as “shout-outs” on social media.
A $100 Silver sponsorship only includes verbal recognition, while the $500-plus Platinum sponsorship includes all three. As such, the $250 Gold designation will not include social media and logos on tickets.
Jedele’s students are working on five fundraisers each with individual goals. They include a “penny war” between teachers and their classes, a chili cook-off and a restaurant fundraiser, as well as hot chocolate and chocolate rose sales.
While the Friday pitch by Jedele’s students was informal as a classroom effort, Tim Jedele of McDonald’s - Jedele Enterprises sat in on the presentation as a potential sponsor.
“I love the fundraisers; I think they’re solid as a whole,” Jedele said at the end. He also gave pointers about the presentation itself, as well as considering specific details such as the pricing for the chocolate roses.
He related that he was impressed by the drive of the students to bring the concept to life, even saying that the project’s community-minded mission alone made him “want to open (his) checkbook” then and there.
Seniors Anthony Conley and Trent Ross are leading the Intro to Business class in the sponsorship effort. Jedele’s personal finance class, which Conley is also in, is working with Laura Monnett of First Financial Bank on an exhibit about money and finance.
Mrs. Jedele told the Banner Graphic that students and teachers at South Putnam and North Putnam have gotten on board, but that Cloverdale has yet to join the initiative. However, students at Deer Meadow and Ridpath are also participating.
Currently, Ridpath and Deer Meadow students are developing exhibits on musical instruments, robotics and water. Students at South Putnam are working on exhibits highlighting the history of toys, theater, the Putnam County Fair and the football program at DePauw University.
The fundraising goal for each exhibit has been set at approximately $1,000. In turn, the goal for sponsorships has been aimed at $5,0000.
The Putnam County Children’s Museum is anticipated to open sometime this coming April into May.
Jedele’s Intro to Business class is set to hold another in-class pitch session this coming Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
Interested community partners can make checks out to the GHS DECA chapter, though sponsorships should be committed to by Wednesday. Logos may be submitted to Jedele at kjedele@greencastle.k12.in.us.