Kent ISD — Seeking to build on 91.3 WCSG’s popular annual father-daughter dance’s success, radio station representatives were looking to expand their outreach.
“We were looking for something unique that hasn’t been done in the community that we could consider,” said Amanda Bridle, brand manager and graphic designer for the Christian radio station. The station was focusing on a mother-son event since it already had the father-daughter dance.
Bridle and the station’s social media coordinator, Megan Sweitzer, posed that question of developing a unique event to a group of five students in the Kent Career Tech Center’s Entrepreneurship and Marketing class. The group offered two suggestions: a scavenger hunt and a miniature golf tournament.
“I’m really impressed,” said Jenny Baker, the station’s content writer and communications coordinator. “I love both ideas. I see either one of those working. The scavenger hunt, in particular, is just so creative and fun. … I just would have never thought of that.”
WCSG was one of about 10 local businesses and organizations who participated in the mentorship program with students in Brooke Uzarski’s class.
Uzarski said the mentorship helps students understand how companies turn ideas into reality through teamwork, feedback and real-world practices, while helping them build skills they will need in the business world.
Students spent five weeks working with one organization. During that time, they learned about the organization and its goals. They also identified a problem and proposed ideas on how to help. At the end of the five-week period, the students delivered a final pitch grounded in research, customer insight and mentor guidance.
From Brainstorming to the Final Pitch
After brainstorming mother-and-son themed activities for the radio station, the student team narrowed its ideas to the downtown Grand Rapids scavenger hunt and an interactive mini-golf tournament, both designed to engage multiple age groups and strengthen community partnerships, said Godwin Heights junior Alberto Esqueda-Valtierra.
“We wanted to create an event that would hit all age demographics, get all attention spans,” said Lila Vankuiken, a junior from Grand Rapids Public Museum High School, about the scavenger hunt. “We know that the father-daughter dance was a lot more formal, and we aimed to make something more casual. So what better than making an activity where we have duos running around all through downtown?”
The scavenger hunt is inspired by the TV show “Amazing Race,” where teams visit several sites and compete in challenges. At each site, teams do an activity to receive the next clue and learn where to go next.
Scavenger hunt sites might include local businesses or familiar landmarks such as Van Andel Arena, creating partnership opportunities, Lila said.
WCSG personalities would appear at each stop, and VIP tickets could offer early access or merchandise, Alberto said, adding that clues will be tailored to different age groups, and the event will conclude with a celebration featuring music and food.
Station representatives talked about various options such as adjusting challenges to age levels and having the closing celebration at Rosa Parks Circle so it could be open to the entire community. They also asked the students how to attract their age demographic.
Real-World Marketing Experience
For the mini golf event, Godfrey-Lee junior Roberto Becerra-Duvan said it would be 18 holes and after every hole there would be a challenge. WCSG personalities could either be assigned to a group to follow or roam the event while interacting with attendees, he said, adding there would be sponsorship, VIP and merchandise options.
Baker said she could see benefits to both proposals. The mini golf would provide WCSG with more control, as it would be in a confined space, but the scavenger hunt would incorporate the broader community, she said.
Said Bridle, “It’s been cool for us to kind of see their thought processes as they’ve narrowed it down and have tweaked things and refined them to get to the two (proposals) that they presented today.” She noted that students incorporated a lot of their key points of building community connections while engaging with their audience.
Sweitzer said it was a great opportunity to work with the students, who brought a fresh perspective to the station’s goals, and the Tech Center students said the mentorship gave them the opportunity to explore different marketing roles.
“I liked doing this, collaborating with business so I can see the different points of view of what they’re gonna do, what is gonna happen and the results,” Roberto said.
Overcoming the snow days to meet the team’s deadline was a challenge, Lilia said, adding that she too enjoyed the collaboration process and developing the merchandise.
Said Alberto after the experience: “Event planning, I feel, is really not my thing. I would be more into cranking the numbers down, the event tickets, all the math. I don’t think I could design this by myself, so I am happy I had all these people along with me.”
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