Classroom-on-the-Mall

The Classroom-on-the-Mall Program located at the Springfield Mall, in Springfield, VA, is home to marketing students from five area high schools. This specialized program enables students to learn retail business organization, as well as operation skills and techniques, in a realistic business setting. Traditional classroom instruction in marketing, merchandising, and management is enhanced by the opportunity for students to meet and work with professionals in the mall and local businesses.

Each October, the Classroom-on-the-Mall students host a Halloween “Spooktacular” event. Students learned the art of event marketing by distributing flyers to area elementary schools and writing press releases for local newspapers and radio stations by working with a marketing firm promoting “Spooktacular.”

In November and December, the Springfield Classroom-on-the-Mall activities focus on preparation for the opening of Santa’s Little Helpers, the FATE sponsored and student-operated holiday gift enterprise. Designed for children 12 and under, this unique store provides gift selections that children or the “little shoppers” can purchase for their friends, family, teachers, and pets. All items in the store are priced at $10.00 or less. Through their work with Santa’s Little Helpers, Classroom-on-the-Mall students have the opportunity to learn first-hand what is involved in opening, operating, and managing a business as well as obtaining an appreciation for community service. Some of the students’ favorite activities include creating promotional materials, visual merchandising of the interior and exterior of the store, and servicing the customers. FATE provides funding for the merchandise, product packaging, and visual merchandising for the store.

As one of only two schools in Fairfax County to offer Entrepreneurship as a course elective, the Classroom-on-the-Mall partners with local entrepreneurs and the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB).  Students learn to develop business plans, set goals, and market themselves.
Additionally, DECA, an association of marketing students, is an important component of the Springfield Classroom-on-the-Mall program.  A co-curricular student organization, DECA, offers experiences in leadership training, community service, networking and professionalism.