The Snooz³ company team hasn’t been able to gather in its Virtual Enterprise program room on Huntington High School’s lower level due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the teenagers who comprise the dynamic firm have been busy supporting frontline workers at Huntington Hospital and making their presence felt nationally through their social media platforms.
A full-year, one credit course that’s available to juniors and seniors, Virtual Enterprise is a simulated business that is developed and operated by students to prepare them for working in a real business environment.
Teacher Suzi Biagi with Snooz3 executives Taylor Case and Ainsley Lumpe.
Snooz³ earned a spot in the Top Ten of Virtual Enterprise International’s Youth Business Summit Reimagined social media contest. It’s a remarkable honor for an exceptional group of teenagers. Business teacher Suzie Biagi has worked closely with the students.
Snooz³ offers a sleep lifestyle line based upon customizable pillows. “The pillows come with a variety of optional features such as the ability to heat, cool, play music, provide stimulation and set alarms,” according to a company prospectus.
“It has been really great to see what hard work and fundraising as a company can do to help people during this time of crisis,” said junior Taylor Case, the chief executive officer of Snooz³. “We used a significant amount of money we had raised to go to a local restaurant and have it make meals which were then donated to feed two Huntington Hospital departments. It is really special seeing how even when we are not in a classroom setting, we can still make a change.”
Snooz³ is very community oriented and its recent actions prove it. Junior Kyle Colleluori, the chief financial officer of Snooz³ took the lead in reaching out to classmates for food donations that were then donated to a local food bank. “It was great to see a lot of our classmates come together to help those who are struggling.” Ms. Case said.
Huntington Hospital has cared for a large number of COVID-19 sufferers and the frontline workers who treated and nursed them through their illness are regarded as heroes throughout the community.
Snooz³ used $400 it had raised during the year to have Restaurant Joaninia to prepare trays of food for about 30 hospital staff members in two different departments. “It was really cool to see how we could make a positive impact even when we were stuck at home,” said junior Nick Tudisco, the chief operating officer of Snooz³.
“Although we missed out on many Virtual Enterprise end of the year activities, our firm was able to participate in the social media competition,” Ms. Case said. “We frequently posted pictures saying how we have been dealing with this quarantine and how we have been staying together as a class.”
The company’s social media platforms include a website (www.Snooz3.com) along with Instagram (snooz3_ve), Facebook (Snooz³) and Twitter (@snoozzzVE) pages.
While the Snooz³ company team wishes it could be on-site at Huntington High School, it is making the best of the situation.
“It has been really exciting to see that although we are no longer in school, our class is still able to do good for others and stay together as a company,” Ms. Case said.
