Thirty nine juniors and seniors from Weehawken High School’s AP mathematics and economics classes participated on Dec. 12 in Project Suit Up, one of many community volunteer programs supported by the wealth management division of international bank UBS, who have headquarters in the township.
The brain child of UBS employee Zach Graumann and friend and fellow Duke alumna Casey Miller, Project Suit Up, founded in 2011, is a non-profit organization which is supported by UBS and is part of its corporate mission to get involved in the communities which it serves. Day-long workshops mentored by volunteers from UBS are aimed at teaching students how to apply their acquired academic skills to a real life business model.
The students were divided up into four groups and were given a task: design a new Nike shoe, figure out a strategic marketing plan, present the plan in a competition at the end of the day, and possibly win a cash prize.
“It’s all about the process,” says Jonathan Mason, a volunteer with Suit Up who is acting as the main facilitator for the day. “Learning to work together, respecting each other’s ideas.”
‘It’s all about awareness and process, taking your skills into the world, and building something with them.’ – Lori Feinsilver, UBS Weehawken liaison
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Entrepreneurship: imagination plus business sense
In one corner of the room, seated at a round table, a group of female students, which became “Team She,” were guided through some ice breaker questions by Katie Layden and Nicole Cannone, two of the volunteers from UBS. “Of all the celebrities in the world, contemporary or not, which one would you pick to invite to dinner?” Kurt Cobain, Anna Wintour, Jennifer Lawrence, and, most intriguingly – Ernest Hemingway.
Once the ice is broken, the discussion opened up. Katie and Nicole asked for design suggestions. What kind of shoe do they want?
The conversation began with a heeled sneaker and rapidly moved on to something more practical – a single shoe that a woman can wear comfortably at work, but was stylish enough for evening wear. By the end of the day, when they gave their presentation, Team She had a solid marketing plan, a snappy slogan, “Bring out your inner goddess,” and an innovative idea to create a YouTube video to attract an international sales base.
The presentations began with Team Combat, who named their shoe, appropriately, Nike Combat. The fabric will be made from recycled military fatigues, and feature a bit of dessert sand inserted into a small pouch behind the heel. As with Team She, which will donate 5 percent of its profits to the Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Team Combat will donate 5 percent of its profits to charitable causes that support military families. Team Combat also took the time to work up a computer model for its prototype.
Team Infinity’s presentation was about flexibility, in both design and function. They created a base sneaker, which will, they tell the audience, adapt to “every aspect of your life.” This adaptability would be achieved by purchasing add-ons to the base shoe, enabling the buyer to create a high top from a low top, and vice versa, and snap- on soles and heels appropriate for different sports. Their sneaker was priced at $100 for the base and $25 to $100 for each snap-on. Their slogan? “One Shoe. Infinite Possibilities.”
‘Get me Beyonce’
The last team to present was Project X. Their shoe, the Nike-X, emphasized class and fashion along with extreme comfort. A mesh shell construction of faux leather formed the base of the shoe, and all materials used in were made in America. They encouraged their market base to “Work hard, play harder.” At a cost of $150 a pair the shoes were priced slightly higher than the other competitors, but their pitch was that their shoe was of the highest quality and provided the greatest comfort.
Celebrity endorsers picked by the groups ranged from pop culture (Beyonce, Justin Timberlake), to sports figures (LeBron James, Gabby Douglas), to film stars (Emma Watson, Mila Kunis), again demonstrating the wide range of creativity and imagination demonstrated by these students.
The day wound to an end and time for the judges to pick a winner. Two guidance counselors, Francesca Amato and Laurie Sieminski, along with accounting teacher Alan Cevoli, held the groups’ fate in their hands.
And the winner? Project X with their design for the Nike-X and a great presentation.
Yet, as Lori Feinsilver, the UBS liason with the city of Weehawken, saw it, “It’s all about awareness and process, taking your skills into the world, and building something with them.” Until recently Project Suit Up had only gone into New York schools, 45 of them, but after Ms. Feinsilver approached Weehawken mayor Richard Turner, with a question, “How can we be engaged with your community?” Project Suit Up seemed to be a perfect fit.