Senior Year
Mission
Going into senior year, I found my focus already shifting from high school to college. Because of this, my mission is to build strong college applications that will get me into a fabulous university that aligns with my interests. I also strive to keep my grades up in high school and not let senioritis get the best of me.
The Senior Project
After spending the last three years learning a wide range of skills related to running businesses, Senior CIBACS students take on their final project: starting their own business. Students work on building their business from the ground up throughout their entire senior year. This project has few rules and boundaries and allows students to pursue a start-up they are passionate about. While manufacturing, marketing, and selling products, students document their work via various written reports.
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During the summer before my senior year, I spent much time thinking of different ideas for my senior project. I considered putting up vending machines, starting a tutoring service, and even selling skateboards, but I wasn't quite satisfied with those ideas. One hot summer day after going surfing, I hung up my wetsuit to dry and noticed one of my old wetsuits tucked away in the corner of the room. I started wondering if there was anything I could do with that wetsuit, or if I should throw it away. I did some research and learned that many products were made out of the same material as wetsuits, and I started thinking about what I should make. I soon realized that many surfers in the area probably have used wetsuits lying around that could also be used to make products, and that is when the plan for my senior project finally came to me.
I decided to reach out to surfers in the area and ask for donations of used wetsuits so I could make neoprene products at no cost for materials. I decided to make drink insulators, coasters, and mousepads, and just before the end of summer, I received a large donation of about fifteen used wetsuits from Banzai Surf School to jump-start my project.
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My Senior Project:
Mission Statement
To improve the quality of beaches for the benefit of wildlife and beachgoers by repurposing discarded wetsuits into creative products that inspire people to recycle more.
Overview
Koena is a brand built around recycling and repurposing old wetsuits in the community. Koena will repurpose these suits into various products made out of neoprene; these products include but are not limited to drink insulators, coasters, and mouse pads with the Koena logo. Additionally, Koena will be selling t-shirts with eye catching designs that follow the branding of recycling and surfing. The T-shirts will not be sustainable, but they will act as an alternate source of revenue from the neoprene products with the goal of promoting the brand and the concepts of sustainability.
My Journey
To learn more, read written documentation, and view evidence of my experience starting Koena, click the button below.