Student-led business offers its first scholarships
May 14—WEST MIDDLESEX — Things might not seem busy now for Tomahawk Tees, as students finish their last orders and start packing their supplies.
However, the student-run business at West Middlesex Jr. Sr. High School has customers ranging from school clubs and teams to local organizations, and a backlog of customer orders to be filled when the school year picks up in the fall, said Dylan Williams, a senior and the Tomahawk Tees' CEO.
"It's been pretty much non-stop for us since the start of the school year," Williams said. "Not even COVID slowed things down."
The Tomahawk Tees is part of an entrepreneurship class taught by Trisha Knight, who serves primarily as an advisor for the class. Students apply for positions throughout the class, from designers to accountants to CEO, then work with customers to develop and deliver orders, such as shirts with an organization's logo or design on it.
The business started taking orders during the 2019-20 school year, and has since grown to not only become self-sufficient, but turn enough of a profit to fund two $500 scholarships for a pair of the business' student workers, Knight said.
Knight developed the idea for the scholarships since Tomahawk Tees serves as a non-traditional class with many students planning for career paths outside of college, including attending trade schools or directly entering the workforce, she said.
Knight presented the scholarship idea to the West Middlesex school board, who approved it at their April meeting.
"We're very excited, because a lot of these kids aren't going to college, and sometimes the scholarships aren't there for those kids," Knight said.
Williams himself said he's planning to enter the IT field, preferably working at Best Buy. Many IT companies offer training and certification for applicants, and Williams said he hopes to eventually have his own IT business. He says his time as Tomahawk Tees' CEO is something that can already help him down the road.
"Probably the biggest thing I've learned is leadership," Williams said. "You have to be able to work with customers and make sure everyone's doing their part, because if one part gets held up, then it holds up everything else."
To receive the scholarships, Knight said the two winning students will be chosen based on their final score in the class, which is based on the students' participation. The students will also write an essay explaining why they're seeking the scholarship, and an interview with Knight.
The two winning students will later be announced during the high school's senior awards ceremony on May 27, Principal Dr. Emily Clare said.
Even before the announcement of the scholarships, Knight said student interest in the class has remained high since the Tomahawk Tees' inception, with students often coming by during study halls or lunches to help out.
Interest in the community grew quickly as well, with Tomahawk Tees becoming self-sustaining after only about four months of business prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The business' clientele has since grown from parent groups and organizations within the school district to local organizations, including the Shenango Township Fire Department, Knight said.
A particularly popular item since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was a design featuring the West Middlesex Area School District's Indian mascot wearing a face mask.
"There were orders we were trying to complete before the end of the school year, but we just ran out of time," Knight said.
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