The Entrepreneur Club at Broadalbin-Perth Intermediate School has partnered with Pizza Supreme to give students a first-hand look at what it’s like to run a business.
Club members and their adviser Dianne Magliocca recently toured the Calderone family’s pizzeria in Broadalbin to learn the ins and outs of the business. The Calderones also donate pizza for the club to sell at high school basketball games on Fridays.
“We are so thankful that Tony took time out of his own schedule to offer his knowledge on entrepreneurship at such a personal level,” Magliocca said. “The kids gained so much insight into a family operation that’s very supportive of our school community.”
During the tour of Pizza Supreme, students watched Tony Calderone make pizzas and learned about appliances and equipment. They also learned fun facts about the restaurant, such as the insane amount of cheese that has to be shredded for pizzas each week.
“The whole experience was jaw dropping for a lot of them,” Magliocca said. “Tony had his hands in pizza dough, the phone was ringing, customers were walking in and out — it showed them how important it is to have time management skills and be able to multitask.”
Overall, the club has taught students a lot about business management, marketing and market research. For another recent project, the club produced slime and has sold it at multiple events, including the middle school’s antibullying carnival and the intermediate school’s holiday gift shop. They had to make a budget, make the product and man their booth.
“Some of the kids recently cashed a check that we had gotten because they needed to make change, and I couldn’t believe they knew how to do that,” Magliocca said. “They really have the entrepreneurial spirit. They’re using terms that professionals use. I’m always impressed by the questions they ask and the enthusiasm that they show.”