E3 Academy Releases New North Adams Merchandise By Jack Guerino, iBerkshires Staff
12:27AM / Friday, April 08, 2016 | |
 The program participants talk about what they got out of the program at Lever on Thursday. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Merchandise that celebrates North Adams got another boost with Thursday's unveiling of a new series of branded caps, beanies, and bandanas.
Students in the E3 Academy rolled out their new NAMApparel line of headgear with the slogan "North Adams: Find it, Love it."
The new merchandise and a promotional video featuring the city were on display at the Lever business incubator space on Main Street.
Kimberly Loring, a student in the Drury High School alternative program, said the promotional was shot in well-known North Adams locations.
"We wanted to make an ad and we wanted to make it fun and short," Loring said. "So we thought we would find places that are nice that represent North Adams. We started naming off places like Natural Bridge and Top of the World that were nice beautiful scenic places.
In the video, students are sporting their new NAMApparel at important North Adams locations such as the Houghton Mansion, the public library, Heritage State Park, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, and Windsor Lake. Students provided some historical information at each location.
Teacher Cathleen King said NAMApparel was designed to instill North Adams pride and promote the city along with the products. She said it was interesting watching the students become North Adams boosters.
"I think this helped them realize the good things that are here in North Adams and encouraged them to go out and promote them," King said. "It has been great ... watching the excitement build about their home town, and it has been really great watching them come to life just with something right in their back yard."
Student Kimberly Brames said she enjoyed learning more about the city through the video and the recording process itself was a learning experience.
"It’s very amazing and interesting to be a part of something like this," she said. "You don’t really do this in high school so having the opportunity to do this was really great."
King said she hopes to reach out to the North Adams Chamber of Commerce and the city to see if they would like to use the video as promotional material.
E3 is a program for overage and undercredited students that gives them the opportunity to earn a high school degree through competency and project-based learning. The NAMApparel line was launched in 2014 and students have been building on the clothing line since as part of an entrepreneurship program.
The new hats have an updated logo. The line already includes T-shirts, hoodies and travel mugs.
Students visited local businesses to learn a few business tips and gathered information to find out what kind of apparel people want to buy.
Student Tarrenz LeClair said the hats are sold for double the manufacturing cost so E3 can replenish stock without bringing in outside funding. The caps cost $10 to make.
At this point in time, E3 has broken even.
In their presentation students rattled off some of the benefits of the alternative program.
"The program provides a unique learning experience for children that struggled in traditional school."
"It teaches competence skills needed to earn a degree."
"We learn real life skills."
Students also said they learned how to create a business plan, work a spreadsheet, manage personal finances, marketing, and even how to read the stock market.
Ricco Fruscio, program coordinator for the chamber, told the students that they are learning valuable skills without even knowing it.
"You are learning the skills to be the owner of your own business ... you are all exhibiting being able to stand up and speak," he said. "That is one of the main core talents that someone needs to be able to present their idea, present who they are, and how they got to where they are."
Hats and other NAMApparel gear can be purchased at Berkshire Emporium on Main Street.
Student Alyah Hartman said the video will air on Norther Berkshire Community Television and at Drury High School on DTV.
"We are going to be famous," Hartman said.
The business also has a Facebook page and an Instagram account @NAMApparelbyE3.
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