Indian Creek High School students will soon have the chance to start printing apparel representing their school.
Printing will be a large part of the inaugural advanced manufacturing class at the school, led by teacher Jake Scott. Before teaching this class, Scott worked in manufacturing for 15 years for Conagra Brands and CraftMark Bakery, which are companies that make things like Subway bread, Marie Calendar pies and Clif Bars.
Scott wanted students to have a unique experience of running a business while also learning about different facets of advanced manufacturing. Accomplishing both, he came up with the idea to have students make school spirit apparel in his classroom. Beyond representing Indian Creek and its athletic teams, the class’ five students can expand to work with small businesses in the community to print apparel for them, Scott said.
“The goal would also be, once students get this up and running, student internships and student manufacturing,” he said. “They can also get a paycheck once a semester or once every nine weeks as we start building up the business, because we’d also like a workplace learning program as well.”
Scott said he wants students to learn firsthand how the manufacturing industry operates by seeing facilities that make different kinds of products. The class will visit places like Sonoco Flexible Packaging in Edinburgh and CraftMark Bakery in Indianapolis, he said.
“I want to enlighten the students’ eyes of what is out there, what possibilities they can achieve,” Scott said. “In manufacturing, it’s not only entrepreneurship but maintaining accounting, accounting principles, and business principles. That way, when they do enter the workforce, no matter if they’re in manufacturing, or whatever job they have, they can take some of the tangible items that we learned in this class and transfer it right into the day-to-day operations of whatever they decide to do.”
While the manufacturing equipment hasn’t arrived yet, students stayed busy during Monday’s class repainting the walls to make the classroom more like a manufacturing space. Later, they’re also going to update the flooring.
Bryce Woodrum, a sophomore, took Scott’s business class last year. He said he was interested in the manufacturing class because his father works for a company that puts the names and numbers on racing jerseys.
“I’m hoping to get some experience and it’s like I’m running a business, and I feel like it’d be really good for my future,” Woodrum said.
Jenson Oliver, a senior, said he just wanted to try out something new.
“It’s very different from a lot of normal classes. It’s a big change and it’s a fun change,” Oliver said. “Some classes get boring, but I feel like with this class, you’re gonna get a lot of life experience.”
Grayson Burkett, also a senior, is interested in pursuing a career in fashion, and the chance to produce custom clothing was in line with that goal.
“These are things I will actually use after high school,” Burkett said. “This is what I want to do, and I’m gonna make money off of it and be able to just keep building onto that, and then, eventually, become a millionaire hopefully one day.”
The class also fulfills the business pathway to graduation. While it helps students get closer to a diploma, also expands their horizons, even if they don’t pursue a career in manufacturing, Principal Luke Skobel said.
“It’s opening their eyes to the potential careers or things they can do for the rest of their lives,” Skobel said. “They’re capable of that stuff, too. A lot of kids have anxiety about the real world or the workplace, so I want them to be confident in their abilities so they’re willing to try new things.”
People who want to donate to Creek Manufacturing, which will help launch the program, can call Indian Creek High School by calling 317-878-2110.
