STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — For the past several years, a group of students at Susan Wagner High School has been operating a small business. The culmination of long hours, field trips and lots of classroom learning, the smallish virtual bakery enterprise was formed after its owners took several courses in finance, learned about break-even analysis and marketed their well-thought plan to local business owners. It’s a study in entrepreneurship that has undoubtedly changed their lives.
“I came into high school very shy, not talkative, bad at public speaking,” said Liam Smith, a now-eloquent senior who’s headed to Hunter College to study biology in the fall. “But this class went beyond financial literacy. Not only did we become familiar with Quick Books, Excel and all the other Microsoft extensions, we filled our resumes with important life skills as well.”
The four-year program, which is part of the school’s Business Academy, introduces students to the foundations of business in freshman year, followed by leadership and public presentation lessons in year two. During junior year, participants write a business plan and begin marketing a product. Senior year is when they launch and run a virtual company.
Students in the Virtual Enterprise program pose for a picture outside of BlackRock, one of the world’s largest investment management and financial services firms. (Courtesy of Joseph Weisberg)(Courtesy of Joseph Weisberg)
“This is the real deal — we have been a New York State Career and Technical Education [CTE] entrepreneurial preparatory program since 2021. We prepare students to become entrepreneurs and teach them to understand financial literacy,” said Joseph Weisberg, Susan Wagner’s CTE business teacher and virtual enterprise coordinator. “In this classroom they’re learning how to plan a career and make an impact in the local business community.”
Weisberg, who worked as an accountant and had prior teaching experience before coming to Wagner in 2023, says students who complete the program are well prepared to enter the workforce with a solid understanding of career and financial management.
“First they learn finance, marketing and management skills and in their final year they take part in a virtual enterprise where they sell a virtual product through an online marketplace,” he noted. “It’s simulation based, but the experience is very real.”
For the past two years the students operated an inclusive bakery, one which catered to those with dietary restrictions. The students researched ingredients and even partnered with local bakers who advised them on how to prevent cross contamination and other food allergy issues.
Susan Wagner High School’s virtual enterprise program allows students to take a deep dive into entrepreneurship, studying finance, marketing and other business applications before launching their own company. (Courtesy of Joseph Weisberg)(Courtesy of Joseph Weisberg)
“Each student walks away with a resume and cover letter, and plenty of real-life experience ready to apply for a position that suits them,” Weisberg said. “Over the course of four years, the students are taking a very in-depth look at the life of an entrepreneur. Many decide to continue studying business in college, others are well-prepared to jump right into the workforce.”
Weisberg’s students say it is by far the best part of their high school experience.
“My favorite part is how Mr. Weisberg values us,” said Max Koleci, a junior. “He takes a couple of students and gives them larger roles, shows us how to lead. From day one I knew I wanted to be one of those leaders.”
Koleci praised the “tight knit” program, detailing how he was inspired by a class trip to the BlackRock, one of the world’s largest investment management and financial services firms. He called the entire experience “enlightening.”
Students in Susan Wagner High School’s Virtual Enterprise program work on a project in class. (Courtesy of Joseph Weisberg)(Courtesy of Joseph Weisberg)
“We’re learning things in this program that I know I’ll apply in real life,” he said. “Business is very interesting and even though I’m not quite sure if I will pursue this field in the future, I know that I will use these lessons in whatever path I might take.”
Chasity Gordon, also a junior, agreed.
“This class has helped me learn who I want to be,” Gordon said. “I entered the program in sophomore year, and we had lessons in Adobe, Canva, PowerPoint. I know now that I want to pursue a career in marketing.”
“This program helped me discover a lot of things about myself,” Liam Smith added. “I am so much more communicative and no longer anxious or stressed, struggling to picture my future — short or long term.”
Each student walks away from the program with a Career and Technical Education diploma, a specialized New York state high school accreditation that recognizes students who have completed a rigorous program of study in a specific career field. It signifies that a student has not only met the standard graduation requirements but has also gained valuable skills and knowledge in a chosen career area.
Students present a business plan during one of their Virtual Enterprise classes. (Courtesy of Joseph Weisberg)(Courtesy of Joseph Weisberg)
While students say that diploma is “a big deal,” it’s most certainly not the only thing they earn from this course.
“This is by far the best program that Wagner offers,” Max Koleci concluded. “Mr. Weisberg always tells us ‘even if you hate business, you will learn how to prepare a budget, how to calculate interest on car payment…’ and that’s the kind of real-deal stuff we’ve learned in his classroom.”
