[Pembroke Pines, Florida, Jan 24, 2024—] Jag Shack has been in the works for several years. The project was initiated as a way to regain the loss felt as a result of the impact of the pandemic on the previously strong jaguar pride while giving back to Pembroke Pines Charter High School’s students. The store will operate as a lab for marketing students and will provide opportunities to  learn the ins and outs of marketing and business functions in the real world. Jag Shack will provide a unity that has inspired a strong team of students. “It has taken a lot of effort in the making of Jag Shack, Mrs. Ferrer has made the entire project presentable to the community. With the input of the marketing students and Jag Shack members, she is able to get the work done at a faster, easier pace,” said Mrs. Llanos, the school’s Assistant Principal. She also mentions the help of technology to reach the target market, using the technology to display announcements, run diagnostics, and make the business easier to access; “All that just doesn’t happen.” The school’s marketing teacher is a major reason as to why the course itself and the project have become available. Mrs. Ferrer fought hard and has worked endless hours developing how exactly the store would be run. The teacher shares, “I truly enjoy helping enhance this generation to its fullest extent. They allow me to push them to work their hardest and in the end it benefits them and their communities. They realize that by putting in their best effort, they receive the best outcome.” The way everyday situations are accomplished will be influenced by the responsibility that the Jag Shack project provides, it helps the students make adjustments to improve their work.
The marketing classes helped in the making of the store’s mission, vision, and slogan, along with other input. The classes worked together to make exceptional pieces. “You can’t separate the marketing course from the Jag Shack project, it definitely drives it to be at its full potential and performance.” said Peter Bayer, the PPCHS principal. “Together We Roar,” the brand’s slogan, expresses how we, as a school, are unified as one. Simplistic, yet straightforward in meaning! “Ways to ‘package and sell’ things in a way which is desirable to the target is important because it transfers to so many other ways. Not just in advertising and marketing, in life in general, like in the students’ college applications, you’re basically packaging yourself and selling it to a school. The basis is learning the ways that appeal to people that are useful and effective and this is a great way to learn that,” mentions Bayer, talking about both the marketing course and Jag Shack.

A Jag Shack team of merchandisers is focused on making sure the products are highly desired and in perfect shape before they reach customers. They want their store to be physically appealing and to provide the best experience possible. “Every product is handled with care to guarantee the best quality when it’s received,” said Santiago Ruiz, an eleventh grade student, one of Jag Shack’s Manager of Operations. The inventory room is set up in a way that ensures smooth and safe operations. “We’re committed to satisfying our valued customers.” Ruiz also expresses his thoughts on this project’s benefit, saying, “I think that I am able to learn from this opportunity because it’s completely realistic. It’s a very hands-on project that requires a lot of work, and it’s more than just any assignment.” Ruiz manages a number of Jag Shack members, making sure they get what needs to be done in a timely manner while still having the best outcome possible. He, Sophia Garcia, also an eleventh grade student, along with Annie Jimenez, in ninth grade, manage the operation under Mrs. Ferrer’s guidance. “They are the heart of the operation,” pointed out Ferrer. Sophia expresses why exactly she joined both the marketing course and Jag Shack. “I wanted to contribute to both ‘projects’ because I want to leave a part of me behind at Charter. This experience allows me to participate and enhance valued learning skills.” The Store Operations team worked on developing inventory, ordering, and sales systems, creating SKUs, determining cost and prices. These procedures guarantee the flow of information and let them know the inventory status and when products need to be restocked. Jag Shack is currently working on developing new business products and services, which also include an alumni line of merchandise. “Once a jaguar, always a jaguar ” holds meaning. We feel past generations should be able to support their school which holds so many memories for them. Alumni merch may even help develop school spirit for the classes of today’s date, it makes them realize high school flies by and these four years of their life are valuable and memorable.” This is what the entirety of the Jag Shack staff agree on. We plan to make the experience of JS as smooth as possible with the upcoming release of its website in the spring of 2024. It would present the school’s merchandise from the first launch of products, to some of the new, developing concept products. Some of these concepts will be released during the spring season, so by the time the website is up and running, they will have already been out. Alex Steszwski, the JS staff member in charge of web development for the brand, explains how this project allows him to get a “real-feel of real life from scaling the huge project”. The website will provide the opportunity to view available items and allow users to be charged on MyPaymentPlus. Moving forward, there would be a greater possibility of other digital payment methods being developed into the system because of the online resource. QR codes are easier to pull out from a personal device to reduce wastes, and thankfully, this is possible! Our social media platforms are in the design stages and being developed to provide information of when product(s) would drop, when a certain sale or when an item is running low in stock to help customers grab their chance of purchasing before it does.

Jag Shack is centered around the Jaguar community and aspires to continue its awaited legacy. The store’s Mission Statement, “to foster a sense of community by promoting the spirit of Pembroke Pines Charter High School’s Jags” leads to its Vision Statement “To elevate Jag pride by unifying the Pembroke Pines Charter High School community.” Jag Shack strongly believes in bringing together, side by side, hand in hand, the Pembroke Pines Charter High School community.