Arrowhead DECA students present Hawkfest, say school store posts six-figure gross sales
Summary
DECA students told the Arrowhead UHS School District board about Hawkfest community fundraising, partnerships with Make-A-Wish and MDA, and expansion of the student-run Hawks Nest school store, reporting about $80,000 in gross sales last year and a goal of over $100,000 this year.
About a dozen Arrowhead High School DECA members described Hawkfest, a student-run community festival, and the Hawks Nest school store during the superintendent's report.
The students said Hawkfest runs from 4 to 7 p.m. to allow families to attend before football games and that the event pulls sponsorships from local businesses, noting the Milwaukee Brewers as a lead sponsor this year. "We donate a portion of collected funds to MDA," a DECA officer said, and students added that all profits from a recent dog-tag fundraiser went to Make-A-Wish.
DECA officers outlined outreach to sponsors'cold calls, emails and in-person visits'and said they offer tiered sponsorship packages that include social media and on-site signage. They highlighted community volunteer work with a nearby senior-living community (3 Pillars), holiday activities, and a canned-food drive that raised roughly 200 cans.
Students also described DECA's competitive program, which includes district competitions (January at Homestead High School), state Career Development events in late February, and an international conference in Atlanta. Officers explained competition scoring and role-play formats used to evaluate students.
On the Hawks Nest school store, students said the enterprise is run primarily by DECA members and provides hands-on experience in inventory management, point-of-sale systems and online merchandising. The Hawks Nest now sells Arrowhead apparel both in person and online after a local retailer stopped stocking Arrowhead gear. When asked about revenue, students reported prior-year gross sales of about $80,000 and said the chapter is targeting more than $100,000 this year, with average daily sales above $500 and recent single-day sales exceeding $1,000.
Board members praised the presentation and asked for follow-up details; the superintendent said more information could be provided later in the year. The presentation concluded with board thanks and no formal action required.
