In Rothsay, Minnesota , a community s drive to save its independent school system and its business spurred the school board to purchase and reopen the closed hardware store, replacing the high school s business simulation class with the opportunity to run a real business. The hardware store became a profit-making enterprise that engages students in all aspects of its operations. The operation is overseen by a business teacher who serves as the store s general manager. Seniors can work one school period each weekday in the hardware store for academic credit. The students rotate among jobs, building skills in database management, spreadsheet applications, accounting, payroll, inventory, and marketing.
Student learning in the workplace is measured in two formal ways.
At least once a quarter, students take a written exam addressing basic questions about store operations, such as preparing purchase orders and daily accounting procedures. In addition, once a week, the instructor completes a ten-item evaluation for each student on such items as appearance, cooperation, and respect. Students rate themselves on the same form and evaluate their performance with the teacher. In addition to their success with the hardware store, a student-run corporation, Tiger, Inc., has taken over operations of the town s only grocery store, and students have worked with Habitat for Humanity and private investors to build several houses in the area, providing additional avenues for students to experience entrepreneurship and leadership. REAL Enterprises is a non-profit organization formed to help rural schools create innovative entrepreneurship education programs.