Manhasset students win regional honors with new Virtual Enterprise business course

Manhasset High School's new Virtual Enterprise entrepreneurship course, led by teacher Robin Levitt, earned regional recognition in its inaugural year and provides students hands-on experience building and operating student-run firms, administrators told the board.

Lauren Tallarini, director of math and business, said the program places students in simulated firms that compete in a virtual economy and attend trade shows. "They are responsible for all types of market research, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses and opportunities in their company," Tallarini said.

On the course's first year at the New York Northeast Trade Show, the class earned gold for best sales pitch and silver for best booth design, and Tallarini said students ranked in the top 11% nationally for sales pitches and commercials. The team is awaiting national results for a commercial entry.

Teacher Robin Levitt and students described classroom activities: students take company roles, keep ledgers, maintain websites and social media, pitch to investors and manage product licensing. Several students spoke to the board about their experience: Kelsey (CEO) said, "this class is a really great experience for everybody," and Jiani Chen (COO) said the trade shows "fostered a kind of community, and teamwork, between us."

Tallarini showed a working student website and a quarterly newsletter and noted field trips and community feedback from local professionals. The superintendent thanked the students and staff for bringing a concept from course enhancement last year to a tangible product this year.

Ending: The board and administration applauded the program's first-year results and said they plan to expand career-oriented pathways next year, including a business communications course and the new biomedical sciences pathway.