Business. School.

Four Windsor students had a profitable business experience, in more ways than one.

Jillian Barnes, Tori Baxter, Ella Grubham, and Kayla Williams are four of the 14 area students in Broome-Tioga BOCES New Visions Business Academy. They have spent the school year starting a company, “Ventureprize,” that sold two community-focused products: stationary cards and puzzle of Binghamton. The puzzle is a collage of nine different pictures. The stationary cards come in packs of eight cards, each featuring a different Binghamton landmark.
On Wednesday, the students presented their work at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator in Binghamton.

“I was a little bit nervous because it was in front of administration and parents and family. Overall a great experience and great to showcase what we’ve been working on,” said Grubham, who was part of the Ventureprize marketing team. She created social media posts and the company logo. She also solicited sponsorships.

“It was nerve wracking at first, but once I said the very first word, I felt more comfortable, and the whole presentation ran smoothly,” said Barnes. Barnes took the pictures featured on the company’s products.

Williams was the supply chain team leader. She took care of the excel inventory tracking sheets during reconciliation and helped form an assembly line in class consisting of supply chain, sales, and finance. She also kept track of the product.

“I learned how to be independent,” said Williams, who will study at Binghamton University’s School of Management in the fall. “I’ve matured a lot during the process.”

In the three-month life span of Ventureprize, the company earned over $5,900, the most ever for a New Visions company.

On Wednesday, the company donated $4,500 to local charities: A Room to Heal, Outreach Ministries/Showers of Hope, Binghamton Rescue Mission, Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier and Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW).

"I feel proud and happy because the whole time we based our company and product on the community around us, so it made sense to be the company that gave the most back," said Baxter, who served as the Chief Financial Officer of Ventureprize. Baxter plans to study finance or accounting, possibly at Binghamton University.

The New Visions students will remain busy even though Ventureprize has shut down. They take two business classes through SUNY Broome and compete in another business plan competition in the Spring called Launch Pad.

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