When asked about the school store, NC students usually make a face of confusion. Mr. Richard Denard, the marketing teacher, revealed that the store opened in 2011 and continues to evolve. Located in the courtyard in a room to the left of the Freshman Academy, students can stop by in the mornings and afternoons or between class change to buy goodies. 

The store sells NC spirit wear, school supplies, and treats that help students throughout the day. Hoodies cost twenty dollars and shirts range from ten to fifteen. The clothes encourage school spirit as students from his class participate in designing the spirit wear. Purchasing items can help with funding for the store, marketing classes, and Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) club.

DECA, a non-profit career organization, prepares students to become leaders academically and professionally. Dennard, who helps sponsor DECA, will continue helping NC students in multiple other ways. Dennard offers community service hours to students that volunteer at the store in the morning and during class changes. Dennard does not require an application to volunteer at the school store, he welcomes all students to help.

Although the line for the school store always wraps around into the courtyard, not everyone knows that the school store exists. Newer students, mainly freshmen, associate the school store with the myth about the pool on the roof of the Deal building. A more accessible store location could attract more attention and new business opportunities.

“The store would benefit a lot even more if it was in the front and parents and students could buy things not only for their children but for themselves too,” assistant principal David Bell said.

Dennard and the NC administration plan to improve the store for the better. In the future, Dennard would like for his students to work at kiosks and carts in the main and freshman cafeterias, where the same items from the actual store would appear. Along with kiosks, he would like digital signs around school advertising the store. In addition, when enough money accumulates Dennard can see himself purchasing iPads for his students to use during a marketing class. 

“I think the cafeteria kiosk would be really cool because sometimes the school store is kind of out of the way with all the traffic that goes on,” NC sophomore Arden Jaramillo said.

Students benefit from the store and not just when it comes to purchasing spirit wear. It teaches the students who work there marketing skills, work ethic, and how to handle money. Dennard hopes to attract more business from students and to educate NC students.

 “It’s not about the money, it’s about teaching kids how business works,” Dennard said.