Sumo wrestling fundraiser for new business center
By Mandy Coriston
The Kittatinny Regional High School Future Business Leaders of America are sponsoring a Sumo Suit Wrestling Extravaganza at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15 in the school’s main gymnasium to raise funds to open a business and career center.
According to business teacher and FBLA advisor Theresa Iliff, such a center might be the first of its kind at the high school level.
“We often see this type of resource at the college level, but I couldn’t find much about business centers in high schools,” Iliff said, “So we’re creating something new here that will help all of our students.”
The business center will provide opportunities to learn resume writing, interview skills, explore career and trade options, search for appropriate training, and connect with local businesses and corporations in need of new employees.
“We have students who are college-bound, and students who are career-bound,” Iliff said, “And here at Kittatinny, we want to see the success of all students. A business center will give them the guidance to figure out who they are and what they are going to do after high school.”
Iliff said that statistics show there will be an expected 55 million available jobs in 2020, but only 30 percent of those will require a two- or four-year degree.
“That leaves a lot of opportunity for people who don’t feel college is for them, or who are more inclined to go directly into a trade or employment.”
Iliff and the rest of the business department already work hard to ensure their students are prepared for careers after high school, including offering some college-level certification courses like QuickBooks. But Iliff feels that a business center would be that much more impactful.
“Even planning this event to raise money for the business center has been a great lesson,” Iliff said, “The students have had to think about budgeting and scheduling and coordinating all the participants. It’s going to be great.”
“We really wanted to do something that would bring the whole school together,” she added, “So we’ve got sports teams and teachers participating in the wrestling, as well as the National Honor Society and other clubs; almost everyone in the school is taking part. And the sumo suit wrestling is something different and it’s funny. Life is serious- we all need to take time to laugh.”