S.C.O. Haunted House 2012

Business Plan

September 11, 2012

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

General Event Description

ERHS Haunted House 2012 is an event produced by the Senior Class Officers of Eagle Rock High School. It is an event that offers great family value for all ages. The Senior Class Officers partnered with the STUDENTdirect Charitable Foundation have committed to make this not just a one day event but an event that builds leaders amongst the student government and organizations not just of Eagle Rock High School but the surrounding schools in the Los Angeles area. Students are rallying in this campaign, this cause, not usual for the norms of what students fundraise for. The cause is something that all students can relate with; the education system, how it effects them, and to be effective change. In this context within their limits the focus is to reduce senior dues for ERHS class of 2013, the beneficiary. To approximate senior dues are $200 per student, currently approximating 400 students to comprise ERHS senior class, a yearly cost of approximately $80,000.

Speaking to the S.C.O. Advisor, Chris Oswald, (AP Teacher) he is very confident that after what his students have accomplished from the previous years and the type of culture they have instilled in their school his Senior Class Officers will sell in presale this year a benchmark of $5,000 and the day of an additional $5,000 based on this year’s momentum and last year’s positive feedback. In addition students of other schools thru their student orgs will fundraise on behalf of this STUDENTdirect and S.C.O. cause by participating in the Fundraiser’s Matching Grant Program and being recognized as sponsors of the event.

Months prior to the event we will be securing support from our local communities. The Fraternal Order of Eagles Aeries 2188 is the first of many to list providing such support. We thank them for providing us with such an ideal location. Further students of STUDENT direct Organization Eagle Rock High, chapter have pledged $250 to support this cause “reducing senior dues thru scholarships, organizing students to make a change for themselves and their peers” They are just the many student orgs who would follow this pattern.

Another chapter of the STUDENTdirect Charitable Foundation showing support is the STUDENT direct Organization Cal State LA, chapter. Thru Sasha the Chief Financial Officer of S.D.O. also involved with Associated Students Incorporated and Cal State University You, ERHS Haunted House 2012 will gain contributors. Proposed to be produced and funded as a joint venture with the organizations already involved.

Other students making a difference is Eagle Rock High School’s Key Club’s President Danielle Peterson. She has many responsibilities with her matching grant team of which have showed great progress. Thru ERHS Key Club Danielle Peterson will encourage other Key Club members of other high schools to get involved with the cause, “reducing senior dues thru scholarships, organizing students to make a change for themselves and their peers”.

After considering all of this we of the Senior Class Officers and the STUDENTdirect Charitable Foundation support this cause as a community organizer, a community partner, and a community sponsor. As an alumni of Eagle Rock High School and as an advisor of the STUDENTdirect Charitable Foundation I am privileged to be part of ERHS Haunted House 2012 as it is only the beginning in achieving our goal of changing the educational system thru action by reducing senior dues per school per class.

2. Business Description and Vision

Mission Statement

“Reducing senior dues through scholarships.Organizing students to make a change for themselves and their peers.”

Foundation Vision

Today, 35% of Los Angeles High School students will not be graduating. Many college students will receive their degree and still not have the tools necessary to be successful in their chosen occupation. At STUDENTdirect Charitable Foundation, we work with schools, non-profit organizations and for-profit ventures in an efficient, centralized system that will provide students with jobs, internships, or the proper experience to be more qualified.

Business Goals and Objectives

  • Objective 1: To unite and organize student orgs to assist and participate in community events.
  • Objective 2: To create a forum for colleges and high schools to work together on a united front in benefit to their student body.
  • Objective 3: To instill the ideals of stewardship amongst student leaders, to create a catalyst or paradigm shift amongst students and volunteers such as to raise funds for another school’s needs vs themselves or the usual charitable causes – to make effective change for others by first making a change for themselves.

Revenue Goal: $33,250

Ticket Sales Revenue Goal: $13,250

  1. 1,250 Student Tickets @$4 (To raise in pre-sale $5,000)
  2. 750 Adult Tickets @$5 (To raise in pre-sale $3,750)
  3. 750 at the door tickets @$6 (To raise in pre-sale $4,500)

Matching Grant Revenue Goal: $15,000

  1. Matching Grant Team (Corporations) - $3,000
  2. Matching Grant Team (Local Businesses) - $3,000
  3. Matching Grant Team (Press Organizations) - $3,000
  4. Matching Grant Team (Political Organizations) - $3,000
  5. Matching Grant Team (Non-Profit Organizations) - $3,000

General Donations Goal: $5,000

Business History

  • STUDENTdirect Charitable Foundation (October 2011 – Present)
  • 2013 Senior Class Officers (June 2009 – Present)
  • STUDENT direct Organization Cal State LA, chapter (May 2011 – Present)
  • STUDENT direct Organization Eagle Rock High, chapter (July 2011 – Present)
  • Fraternal Order of Eagles 2188

Overview:On the night of October 22, 2011, the Class of 2013 from Eagle Rock High School presented a haunted house. A group of 65 students served as the actors, costume designers, make-up artists, construction workers, set-up crew, clean-up crew, and sales people. With only vague ideas, and a $1 budget, the students built the haunted house virtually from scratch, with no financial support from the school or any other resources. In order to maximize the profitability of the fundraiser, much of the burden of the overlying cost was placed on the shoulders of the officers and advisors of the class of 2013.

The Haunted House 2011 was the first time the school hosted a haunted house built from the ground up, by the dedicated students (Senior Class Officers) of Eagle Rock High School. In comparison, in October 2006, the class of 2007 hosted a Haunted House at Ultrazone in Alhambra, but the facility was already decorated and walled off for the different rooms prior by the venue.

Presale Haunted House 2011, the students raised $2270 and made $900 at the door. Tickets were $3 presale, and $5 at the door. Approximately 800 people were in attendance, with multiple repeat customers who paid $3 for reentry.

Set-up began Wednesday, October 19, 2011, in order to tape down the facility to lay out each room. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were dedicated to the construction of the haunted house. Saturday afternoon was dedicated to costuming and make up, which were both provided and done by students. There was ongoing construction for props and decorations during the months preceding the event.

At the exit of the haunted house, people’s reactions and reviews were taken. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive, indicative by the repeat customers, especially those who entered 3-4 times concluding a very successful community event.

Key Event Principles

  1. Chairman Joshua Chit Tun(STUDENTdirect Charitable Foundation): (323)-845-5900 /
  2. C.E.O. Anthony Uribe (STUDENTdirect ERHS): (323)-485-6826 /
  3. C.F.O. Raleigh Tomlinson (STUDENTdirect ERHS): (323)-919-0960 /
  4. C.F.O. Sasha Perez (STUDENTdirect Cal State LA): (626)-297-2956 /
  5. S.C.O. Advisor Chris Oswald (ERHS): (323)-893-2593

3. Definition of the Market

Business Industry

According to the US Census, there are 57.5 million high school students and 14.4 million high school graduates with some college but no degree. Statistically, the unemployment rate of students averages 9.7%, 216,000 job losses, and teenage unemployment rate at its highest in half a century, just over 24.2%. College degree students average the highest in unemployment rate in two decades. College costs in private institutions cost approximately $50,000 a year, the highest of all time. NYtimes.com estimates 1.64 million people from age 16-19 are unemployed.

Students generally believe in the idea of higher education, although in a very competitive environment they continue to process numerous transactions whether time spent studying, working, building resumes, acquiring new experiences, etc. Funds are funneled through parents, grants, loans, jobs, etc. Students are committed and competitive, but are aware of the severity of economic climate affecting different gaps of generations, high tuition costs, and the likeliness of employment. A method that may possibly outline

solutionsfor students in concern of their future is social marketing. Generally, as they build their portfolio through social networking, they market themselves. Sub-consciously through guerrilla marketing strategy,such asinterning and volunteering through non-profits and school programs, students have clear incentives. Social marketing is the next media of resumes and portfolios.

Target Market

With the unemployment rate amongst students, many are desperately searching for anything to strengthen their resume. Without their first job, high school and college graduates fill in the void with internships and volunteer experience.

Footing in Market

Currently, there are fourteen college main chapters of STUDENT direct organizations: UCLA, Pasadena City College, Glendale Community College, Santa Monica College, Victor Valley College, FIDM, USC, Santa Barbara Community College, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Pepperdine University, Cal State Long Beach, and California State University Los Angeles.

4. Description of Services

STUDENTdirectServices

STUDENTdirect Charitable Foundation offers programs and workshops to non-profits and local schools. We provideprofessional volunteer opportunities to students. Our fundraising effortsare to provide deserving students, organizations, and schools with grants and scholarships.

The foundations goal is to help fund student interests and concerns as students feel best fit. For those interested we encourage you to take part in the overall mission, helping students help each other through grants, scholarships, internships, and an infrastructure of facilities and student operated organizations.
Our foundation supports various non-profits/ causes through donations and continuous support from sponsors.
STUDENTdirect Save World Project
STUDENTdirect Scholarship Project
STUDENTdirect Performing and Visual Arts Project
STUDENTdirect Pre - Internship Project

At STUDENTdirect we provide students with the opportunity to attend various workshops through our internship program which is designed to teach them how to succeed in their chosen profession as well as eligibility for 3 units of college credit. A STUDENTdirect Intern will learn teamwork, the corporate structure, how to work with deadlines, how to lead group projects, how to network, and much more through hands on training and experience.

At STUDENTdirect we believe that students are the future and that we can help them through our various programs, and thus in turn help the world.

5. Event Organization and Management

Management

STUDENTdirect Charitable Foundation Board of Directors currently consists of a relatively diverse group. The executive committee positions are listed as Chairman, Vice- Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Board meets monthly. The day to day operations is handled by the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation.

Organizational management is specified in the How to run a STUDENT direct Organization manual.

To highlight the STUDENT direct org chapters are managed within the schools and Regional Managers oversee operations within a specified area.

2013 Senior Class Officers. is composed likewise. However management is reviewed by the S.C.O. Advisors.

Each of the Community Partners have their own organizational management.

The Community Sponsors specific role in the Haunted House 2012 is financial contributions.

Volunteers are assigned specific tasks throughout the event process, forms are required, service hours are documented.

6. Marketing and Sales Strategy

Senior Class Officers and the STUDENT direct Organizations are committed in presale to distribute 2,000 event tickets. This will be done by creating a voucher program with our community partners. We will work diligently to effectively distribute tickets, thus increase revenue for the cause. Techniques we will utilize are as such: video teasers, social media, official fan site, promos, posters, flyers, blogs, strategic ad placements, press releases, etc.

Through coordinated marketing campaigns with our community partners we are confident that not only would we market the event well but we would also financially increase sales.

To conclude production value and community appeal is high and compared to other venues such as Knotts, Universal Studios, Six Flags this event’s ticket admission is minimum. Bottom Line: High production value at low admission price calculates success.

7. Financial Management

All Finances will be budgeted accordingly. An accounting firm will assist in documentation, cash flow statements, deviation analysis, and audits. We will have measurements put in place to ensure we meet all compliances. The accounting firm will assist in this process until the Foundation has adequate financial staffing.

Attachments:

Supplementary documents to assist with management and review of policies.

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