On Friday 13th March 2020 the Thamesview School Year 11 students made presentations on designing and marketing a hat. It was part of their assessed course work. Their presentations were made to three panels of assessors. Rotarians John Baker and Tony Muckley sat on two of the panels. The theme of the presentations was to describe the process of designing, costing and pricing of hats as part of a pitch to engage the panels as prospective retailers in stocking the products.
The types of hats ranged from beanies and baseball caps to flat caps. Market research helped refine the target customer base and the design, including the logos and strap lines. The students were very much aware of the power of media vehicles and celebrity endorsement for creating awareness and demand for their products. Overall, the standard of presentations was impressive.
Nerys Sandy, KS4/5 CEIAG and Student Support Coordinator, organised the event to be very efficient and professional. Students were assessed against criteria that would be important if pitching to an established retailer.
John and Tony reported back to the Gravesend Rotary members. They considered the event to have been a refreshing, enjoyable and rewarding experience. Nerys Sandy sent thanks for Gravesend Rotary’s support and said: “feedback has been extremely positive and students feel the whole process has been a great addition to their Business qualification and using external people enhanced the whole experience”.
Members of club have so far this year participated in three such activities at the School and look forward to doing more.
Tony Muckley