Every year, NW Campus business principles classes divide themselves into teams to compete for money.

After judging by community business people, team members Chelsea Kaska, Mark Long, Julie Reese, Paylee Rowland and Kayla Shirley created the winning solution for the fall ’09 competition.

The team members received a $300 prize for their semesterlong efforts.

Every semester, teams are given a business scenario and asked to solve the problem. Last semester’s problem was a metal working company Decorative Iron Consents, which produces gates, stairwells and other metal work. It was transitioning ownership to a just-graduated child of the current owner.

Students, working as the new owner, had to create a business plan, make financial projections and advertise to meet certain production and growth goals.

The competition’s goal is to have students use the material they learn in a practical way, said Thomas Kemp, NW Campus business professor, who organized last fall’s competition.

“[The competition] encourages competitive attitudes, taking responsibility, teamwork and solving problems,” Kemp said.

Involving community business people adds something a little extra to the mix, Kemp said. Students are being judged by potential employers. The feedback they get carries a little more weight in the students’ minds because it comes from a person outside the regular TCC faculty.

Rowland was in charge of the number-crunching side of the project. She predicted what the company could produce with the business plan changes. Since she is an accounting major, her task went right along with her goal.

“Companies will always need people to handle finances,” she said.

Reese handled the human resources side.

She made up the names and backgrounds of all the employees as well as decided what new employees she could bring into the company.

Reese took the business principles class as an elective but really liked her part in human resources.

“I really have an interest in human resources now,” she said.

She is taking a human resources class this semester and considering it as a career.

Rowland said it took a lot of effort to coordinate with all her teammates, but that the group members all buckled in to do their jobs.

“We lucked out and had good team players,” Rowland said. “It was stressful for a while.”

The work paid off though and not just in the prize money.

“Winning definitely makes you feel like you accomplished something,” Reese said.