Articles
Nashua teacher named N.H. Business Educator of the Year
Published: Monday, December 22, 2008
By MICHAEL BRINDLEY, Staff Writer
mbrindley@nashuatelegraph.com
For students in Dorothy Morin's business management class, the classroom is their office.
"They don't write essays, they write memos," she said. "It's a true business environment." Morin teaches business management and marketing to students at Nashua High School North. The New Hampshire Business Education Association recently named her as the state's business educator of the year.
The course is available to students at both high schools.
Students start the semester by coming up with an idea for a business, creating a 50-page business plan and taking into account costs such as production, marketing and other essentials.
"They go through all the different phases of growth of a business," she said.
Morin, who also teaches marketing, said she is always impressed by the creativity of her students, who generate a variety of plans.
Students in her class this year have come up with everything from a restaurant specializing in Mexican desserts to a golf resort in Arizona.
"They come up with all types of ideas," she said.
Morin said she tells students about the importance of looking ahead and thinking about what technology is going to be like in the future. History has shown that things can change quickly, she said.
"Bill Gates was just bringing Windows out 15 years ago," she said.
The course also gives students an opportunity to be dually enrolled in the high school while earning college credit.
The high schools have partnerships with Rivier College, Daniel Webster College, Nashua Community College and Southern New Hampshire University.
"I think it does a lot for their self-esteem, to have that college credit," Morin said.
Luis Martinez, a senior in the class, came up with the idea to start an automotive repair shop, a field he has always been interested in. Through the class, Martinez has learned about everything else that goes into running the business, especially when it comes to marketing.
"It's not easy making a commercial," he said.
Martinez said his goal is to one day own an automotive repair shop for real.
Like Martinez, many students stick to what they know and enjoy coming up with the ideas for businesses.
Trevor Rancour, a junior who plays for the school's football team, was looking to start a football team in Toronto. His goal was to make it the first National Football League team outside the United States.
But starting up a team and paying all of the NFL licensing fees is not cheap, he said.
"It's gonna be expensive," he said.
In addition to the award, Morin was also recently awarded a full scholarship to attend a forum in Austin, Texas, hosted by the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education.
Morin said that in a time when the future of the economy is uncertain, it's important that students know how the country's financial system works and what it takes to run a business.
"We need to prepare students to be self-sufficient," she said.
Michael Brindley can be reached at 594-6426 or mbrindley@nashuatelegraph.com.