Students in the General Employable Skills class, a special education elective, at Cedar Ridge High School have formed a fashion earring business called Delightful Dangles. Students design, manufacture, sell and fulfill custom earring orders.
The team of 10 students ranging from grades 10 through 12 started by researching sellable designs, creating templates, sourcing materials, learning how to operate a die-cut and heat press machine, and calculating their company’s profit, loss, and revenue margins.
The Delightful Dangles website allows customers to select and customize their handmade earring color, design, and charm. Depending on the style, the earrings cost $6 and $8. Seasonally, new designs are added to the collection. With on-campus sales, the website, and word-of-mouth, Delightful Dangles turned a profit within a month.
The business began to provide students with work-based skills to include on their resumes. Coursework for the General Employable Skills class includes money management, filling out job applications, learning the habits of a productive worker, understanding taxes, voting, and citizenship, menu planning and shopping, getting a bank account, practicing interviewing skills, and graduating with a ready-to-go resume.
Profits are reinvested back into the business, and before the semester ends, the student entrepreneurs will donate a portion to a nonprofit organization.
After placing an order through the Delightful Dangles website, a salesperson contacts the buyer to confirm their order and arrange for payment. Orders are fulfilled in about a week.
Visit the Delightful Dangles website to place an order.
