On Sept. 14, Orono High School students got the opportunity to consider themselves as Target Team Brand Ambassadors. Through a temporary partnership with the Target Corporation and an event planning group called Twirl, Orono was able to send roughly 95 students to participate in the Target Fall National Sales Meeting.
It is an instrumental meeting for the Target Corporation that happens just once a year, where all store managers and headquarters congregate and executives talk about business, training, and store moral boosters.
So how did Orono become involved? “There is a group, Twirl, that manages large events like this one. I became aware of this opportunity from a parent, made a commitment for us to participate, and we were off and running,” stated principal David Benson.
Orono was offered this opportunity above other schools because, as Benson said, “I think Orono students have a great reputation and know what is expected of them in almost any setting. We are dependable. I think that asset was part of the consideration to let us be a part of it.”
Orono’s role in the event was to supply it with students. Students from the Marketing II and Leadership classes, as well as members from clubs like (but not limited to) Character Counts were asked to contribute some of their schooling time in exchange for a much grander prize: a large cash donation from the Target Corporation.
On the morning of the event, students were excused from class at 9:45 to either ride a designated bus or take their own cars to the Target Center in Minneapolis. Once they arrived in the required uniform of black pants, dress shoes and a white T-shirt, students would check in and receive wrist bands for access into the Target Center. Once checked in, students were escorted to the staff rooms and briefed on their assignments. Students were given a designated area, Floor Level, Lower Level, or Upper Level, and given baskets filled with Market Pantry snack packs.
The temporary Target Team Brand Ambassadors were then given a tour of the Target Center, and shown where they would be restocking the food they would be distributing.
The students relocated back to the staff rooms, where they had two hours of downtime before they would be called in to complete their task. During the fifteen minute intermission, Orono students reported to their assigned areas and offered Target members a selection from the available snacks, either carrots with dip, pita chips with humus, or apple slices with caramel dip.
When reflecting on their participation on the event, students collectively agreed that the event and the work they were asked to perform went well. “It felt organized because it was planned out,” stated senior Maddie Kaiser, “but I feel as if the Target Corporation may not have communicated with OHS enough; there was a little too much downtime.”
Despite this, however, students found things to do with their time, either talking in groups or even playing a large scale game of heads up seven up. “The event went well, but we should have done more for the time we were there, and how much we were receiving for it. We were capable of helping out more,” admitted senior Courtney Cahow.
In total, Orono High School received fifteen thousand dollars for their participation in the Target Center event. There was some speculation as to where the money would go, some saying that it would be funneled back to different clubs and activities at the OHS. When asked, Benson replied, “I don’t know how we are going to use this money for sure; there is some serious discussion about using it as a foundation for additional fund-raising needed to arrange for another food packing event like we had year before last.”
Whether the money goes to different club groups or another impacting fund-raiser, it can be sure that the money received due to our students’ hard work will be beneficial to whatever program it’s applied to.
-Taylor Werdel is the Opinions and Editorials editor of the Spartan Speaks
