On January 13, JC senior Brady Heslin took part in the Broome-Tioga BOCES New Visions Business Academy's final presentation at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, located in downtown Binghamton. Heslin was among 15 New Visions students who worked together to create a company as part of their coursework.
Their concept, called R.I.S.E., was a student-run company that empowered the students to create and manage a real business while gaining firsthand experience in entrepreneurship and business operations.
Operating under the guidance of the New Visions Business Academy and the leadership of veteran New Visions instructor Julie Keenan, this distinguished program provided the students with valuable insights into the professional business world. Student leaders for R.I.S.E. gave their final presentation to representatives from numerous school districts, community leaders, family members and friends.
R.I.S.E. was guided by four core values: Respect, Integrity, Support, and Excellence. These principles informed the students’ decision-making and were reflected in every aspect of their work. With the development of the Essentials Kit, the venture focused on helping individuals navigate everyday inconveniences.
The R.I.S.E. Essentials Kit includes tissues, wet wipes, mints, a lint roller, hand sanitizer, and stain-removal wipes. The product was sold at a price of $15 per kit.
Students sold 614 units, generating $9,210 in revenue. In addition to sponsorships and donations, the total revenue tallied $11,360. After figuring in Costs of Goods Sold, General & Administrative Costs and selling expenses, the total Net Income came to $7,126.84.
Upon liquidation, the company paid dividends to shareholders, awarded bonuses to employees for their extra efforts, and donated $5,307.32 to local charities. These included Outreach Ministries of the Southern Tier, Mercy House, CHOW, and A Room to Heal, and they took on six families through Angel Giving Trees for the holiday season.
