November 18th, 2017
21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM
Students learn about marketing
By JOAN CAVALLO
Special to the Messenger
ST. ALBANS — St. Albans City School hosted several assemblies last week that helped us learn about the various components of businesses and economics. Our students in first through third grade met as Learning Communities with local marketing consultant, Bruce Carlin. Each community talked about the products they were making as part of our economy theme, why their product was being made and why people should buy their product. Carlin helped each team turn their understanding of their product into a marketing message.
Bruce Carlin has been in the media business for over 35 years. After working at WPTZ-TV for 12 years gaining experience, he started his own business and has been on his own successfully for 24 years. He has experience in commercial advertising, political campaigns, web design and documentary filmmaking. He has his hands in every part of the process, thinking up the ideas, filming, editing, and distributing.
He is also the father of Grace Borst, a teacher and innovation specialist at St. Albans City School. During his session with our students, he focused on commercials, marketing, logos and jingles.
Each of the four communities, Explorers, Imagination, Investigators and Travelers spent a half hour with our marketing consultant. They explored their previous knowledge of jingles, and based on logos could recall some classic jingles. They also designed a story about their product that explained why it was special.
They had the opportunity to condense their story into a jingle and add some music. Students also had the chance to bring forward some ideas for a logo and had some very creative ideas that they shared.
The Explorers business, “Soapsational,” will specialize in homemade soaps. They are going to be using herbs from our local school gardens to create mint and lavender scented soaps. Carlin engaged the students by brainstorming ideas for their commercials. He gave them hints to make their commercial authentic and unique by highlighting aspects of their business such as their locally grown herbs. The kids were excited and happy to go to a presentation that was focused and geared on a project they are working on.
Team Imagination is using their business to bring attention to the need to protect Lake Champlain. The are using a piece of the lake, shale rocks, in their product. As they started to create their rhyme together they started with, “We are here today.” Carlin asked them to find a rhyme with today, and a student added “to Rock the Bay.” This type of interaction made the assembly very relevant to each group of students.
The Investigators are creating a “Barkery” specializing in dog treats. When Bruce was working with their community he asked if anyone wanted to try to draw a logo. Third grader Talyiah drew a dog with a bone bow tie. It was a very creative idea, which was enhanced when Carlin added a chef ’s hat.
The Travelers Team and their greeting card business called Kindness Travels wrote a story about their cards. It was an amazing treat for our students to have access to Bruce Carlin’s expertise. Emily Parent, an eighth grade student that helped facilitate the sessions said when it was over, “I learned so much about marketing. This was great.” --Joan Cavallo is the principal of St. Albans City School.
Students learn about marketing
By JOAN CAVALLO
Special to the Messenger
ST. ALBANS — St. Albans City School hosted several assemblies last week that helped us learn about the various components of businesses and economics. Our students in first through third grade met as Learning Communities with local marketing consultant, Bruce Carlin. Each community talked about the products they were making as part of our economy theme, why their product was being made and why people should buy their product. Carlin helped each team turn their understanding of their product into a marketing message.
Bruce Carlin has been in the media business for over 35 years. After working at WPTZ-TV for 12 years gaining experience, he started his own business and has been on his own successfully for 24 years. He has experience in commercial advertising, political campaigns, web design and documentary filmmaking. He has his hands in every part of the process, thinking up the ideas, filming, editing, and distributing.
He is also the father of Grace Borst, a teacher and innovation specialist at St. Albans City School. During his session with our students, he focused on commercials, marketing, logos and jingles.
Each of the four communities, Explorers, Imagination, Investigators and Travelers spent a half hour with our marketing consultant. They explored their previous knowledge of jingles, and based on logos could recall some classic jingles. They also designed a story about their product that explained why it was special.
They had the opportunity to condense their story into a jingle and add some music. Students also had the chance to bring forward some ideas for a logo and had some very creative ideas that they shared.
The Explorers business, “Soapsational,” will specialize in homemade soaps. They are going to be using herbs from our local school gardens to create mint and lavender scented soaps. Carlin engaged the students by brainstorming ideas for their commercials. He gave them hints to make their commercial authentic and unique by highlighting aspects of their business such as their locally grown herbs. The kids were excited and happy to go to a presentation that was focused and geared on a project they are working on.
Team Imagination is using their business to bring attention to the need to protect Lake Champlain. The are using a piece of the lake, shale rocks, in their product. As they started to create their rhyme together they started with, “We are here today.” Carlin asked them to find a rhyme with today, and a student added “to Rock the Bay.” This type of interaction made the assembly very relevant to each group of students.
The Investigators are creating a “Barkery” specializing in dog treats. When Bruce was working with their community he asked if anyone wanted to try to draw a logo. Third grader Talyiah drew a dog with a bone bow tie. It was a very creative idea, which was enhanced when Carlin added a chef ’s hat.
The Travelers Team and their greeting card business called Kindness Travels wrote a story about their cards. It was an amazing treat for our students to have access to Bruce Carlin’s expertise. Emily Parent, an eighth grade student that helped facilitate the sessions said when it was over, “I learned so much about marketing. This was great.” --Joan Cavallo is the principal of St. Albans City School.