The Monarch Academy is not your typical marketing vendor. Sure, they design, print and can handle social media like other marketing agencies, but this team stands out. How? They are a student-led, school-based enterprise at Denison High School that is supporting not only the community’s marketing needs but also opportunities for valuable hands-on learning and skill development for students.
Veteran Denison educator Karen Kennedy oversees this talented student team and has witnessed its growth since its official start three years ago.
“In the first year, we recruited four kids to come up with a vision for the team, engage local businesses and work on small printing projects,” she said. “Last year, we had 12 juniors and seniors on the team, working on everything from design to printing to accounting and customer service.”
School-based enterprises like the Monarch Academy provide students with career preparation experiences. Both technical and professional skills can be developed through these school-managed businesses and offer authentic learning opportunities and community connections for students.
Through the Monarch Academy’s program, students have opportunities to gain real-world experience in different aspects of the marketing field and discover areas where they excel. Along with design and commercial printing, students are also able to explore photography, social media advertising, sales and inventory management. These exploratory opportunities can provide students with valuable insight into their potential college and career pathways.
“School-based enterprises can help connect classroom curriculums to careers by providing opportunities for students to apply what they’ve learned to an actual business setting,” said Dennis Harden, chief for the Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness at the Iowa Department of Education. “It’s another great example of how Iowa school districts are helping prepare students for their futures.”
Eighteen-year-old Lucas Segebart graduated from Denison High School last May. He worked with the Monarch Academy throughout his senior year and even into the following summer months after graduation. He is currently attending Iowa Central Community College, and although he is not pursuing a business or marketing degree, he feels he gained important professional skills that will be beneficial as he moves forward.
“I’m taking courses in criminal justice and am looking to go into law enforcement,” he said. “I definitely learned a lot about patience, communication, deadlines and teamwork, which will be helpful for any job in this area.”
Segebart notes his favorite project with the Monarch Academy included their work with the local bowling alley, Lucky Lanes Bowling. The team helped re-design signage for the entry doors and masthead banners for the lanes, which offered opportunities to promote not only the bowling alley but also their marketing efforts within the community.
“Seeing what you’ve created out in the community makes you happy,” Segebart said. “The bowling alley project gave us a lot of added visibility because one side of the banners had our mascot logo.”
In addition to Lucky Lanes Bowling, the Monarch Academy has worked with several other area businesses and nonprofit agencies on various marketing projects, such as logo design, marketing collateral production, food staging and photography, TikTok videos and more. For this real-world application, students learn how to use industry-standard design software, commercial printers and cameras and how to work with customer demands.
“The students really come together when working on these projects,” Kennedy said. “I may provide the initial set up and instruction, but they really work as a team to set up artboards and fonts for the design or download and set up the printer. It’s a team effort where everyone can mesh together and work towards a successful outcome.”
Kennedy is excited for this year’s Monarch Academy team and knows that great things are in store for not only their marketing work but also their overall development.
“As an educator, I love to see students find what they’re interested in and run with it,” she said. “I often hear them say, ‘It’s a business, not a class,’ and that’s what I strive for. I want to help them gain confidence, be proud of their work and see how they can bloom and benefit the community.”
Follow the Monarch Academy on X/Twitter to see more examples of the team’s marketing projects.
Visit the Department’s work-based learning webpage for more information on school-based enterprises and work-based learning in Iowa.
