Moorpark High students learn hands-on marketing
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

ENTREPRENEURS-Moorpark High School teacher Ginger Brandenburg tells her students about a new sports marketing class proposed for next semester.

The students in Ginger Brandenburg's Moorpark business academy will have an edge in the business world because they're in a program that opens doors to practical learning.

It's one of two careeroriented academies offered at Moorpark High School to help students connect with their future career, said Principal Kirk Miyashiro. The school is also home to a health and science service academy.

Students are grouped together and they follow a curriculum that is relevant to their interests.

The academy teachers obtained a state grant to fund their programs.

The academies provide wonderful opportunities to students, tapping into their interests while they're still young, said Mindy Yaras, school board president .

Brandenburg is the director of the business academy. She also teaches English and business at Moorpark High.

The sports and marketing class, which is new to the program and open to sophomores, is a foundation. It launches the promotional principles that form the core of the various projects that the business academy works on during the last three years of high school, Brandenburg said.

The sophomores will attend a sports marketing conference sponsored by the L.A. Clippers at the Staples Center on Dec. 11.

"To prepare for this conference we have received an assignment from the Clippers as part of a contest," said Brandenburg. "The students are enthusiastic and have a variety of innovative ideas."

Pupils also started their first project, which is to assist a Moorpark High School sport or club organization in coming up with new ideas for promoting and fundraising for their organizations. They are putting together a calendar featuring all of the school varsity sports teams.

"These will be full color calendars that we hope to have done in time for Christmas," said Brandenburg.

The calendars will be sold for $20 as a fundraiser for the academy's scholarship funds. To order a calendar or place an ad in it, e-mail the teacher at gbrandenburg@ mrpk.k12.ca.us.

In addition to learning marketing principles, pupils in the business academy de

velop leadership, responsibility and teamwork because of their involvement in hands-on projects.

Juniors learn computer applications during the first semester and are introduced to other business principles in the second semester.

During the senior year, the students take a yearlong virtual enterprise class that provides high school graduation credit in economics. They also take a business seminar capstone course highlighted by a car dealership simulation.

Students interested in attending the program can get additional information on the Internet at www.mhs.mrpk.k12.ca.us/ english/engdep.htm.

Registration will take place in February 2007 for current freshmen looking to plan the rest of their high school curriculum or seeking possible openings at other grade levels.