Thursday morning, Matanzas High School principal Kristin Bozeman and Flagler Schools Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt cut the ribbon on the school’s new Marketing Lab. It’s an innovative learning space utilized by the MHS Marketing students and DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) student organization.
The lab was the brainchild of Rizzo, then-executive director of the Flagler County Education Foundation, and Lynette Shott, who was the executive director of Student and Community Engagement for the district. In 2018, they accompanied MHS Career Technical Education Advisor Jeremy Ossler on a visit to the Stetson College of Business. It was there that they saw the Centurion Sales Program and the “sales labs” the college students used. These are real-world workspaces where students work on their sales pitches, marketing presentations, and soft skills vital for a successful job interview.
A second visit to Stetson had Joey DiPuma join them. He is the district’s Coordinator of Innovation and the person who is responsible for creating so many innovative class spaces all across Flagler Schools. He was given the task of bringing the “sales lab” design to Matanzas High School. While in the design process, the pandemic hit, which slowed everything down. Despite the setbacks, Jeff Reaves, who was the principal at Matanzas High School at the time, was “all in” and knew the value this learning space held for students. This interactive space would allow students to train and prepare for certification in “Sales Force,” a platform used widely in the sales and marketing industry. Creating the classroom was a priority, and Mr. Reaves secured the funding necessary to complete the space.
In the fall of 2022, with the support of the School Board and Superintendent Mittelstadt, work finally began. The school worked with Perdue Office Interiors and Steelcase to design and build the marketing lab in an existing space on campus. The classroom features a boardroom, a manager’s office, and a brainstorming area. It even includes a waiting room. The only thing missing is the piped-in music and magazines from five years ago! Each area is separated by a retractable wall system that divides the space but still gives an open feel to the rooms.
Marketing teacher and DECA advisor Julie Davis says, “This lets us take the lessons out of the textbook and into a real-world environment. When we’re in there, the phones go away and meaningful conversations start happening. It’s an in-action lab, alive and breathing.”
