ASCEND Business + Management

PREPARING YOU FOR THE RIGOROUS WORLD OF BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Ever visit your favorite business and wonder how it works? Or has anyone ever told you that you should start your own business? Well, the business pathway at ASCEND will take you through a journey that will show you every aspect of business ownership. These classes will require time, commitment, and dedication. You will work closely with the program to help you be successful. 

Students will learn major elements of business such as marketing, accounting, and management. Students will also have the opportunity to study subjects aligned with starting their own business such as leadership, financing, and market research. 

Whether you want to be a great addition to a company or start your own; the business pathway at ASCEND will get you ready for the hills and valleys that come with a career in business.

YOU MIGHT LOVE A CAREER IN THE BUSINESS + MANAGEMENT FIELD IF:

  • You are a great communicator.

  • You like working as part of a team.

  • You are creative.

  • You like to take responsibility.

  • At first you don’t succeed, you try and try again. 

  • You are a leader in your friend group or team at school.  

EXAMPLES OF DEGREES THAT ASCEND GRADUATES CAN PURSUE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL:

  • Bachelors in Business

  • Bachelors in Marketing

  • Business Law

  • International Business   

EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE CAREERS THAT ASCEND GRADUATES CAN PURSUE:

  • Entrepreneur

  • Youtuber 

  • Advertising Agency 

  • Business Consultant

  • Author

DID YOU KNOW?   

According to a study at Berkeley by Ross Levine, entrepreneurs are more likely to rebel as a teenager. 

HOW ABOUT THIS? 

Less than 1% of entrepreneurs came from a wealthy family and 51% of all entrepreneurs were the first to start a business in their family, according the Kauffman Foundation Study of Entrepreneurship.

YOUR ASCEND MASTER TEACHER: 

Mrs. Highfill

Hi! I'm Mrs. Highfill, the ASCEND CTE Business Pathway Instructor at ORCA. I've been teaching for 19 years. I graduated from Pacific University with my MAT and was a professional substitute for many years looking for the "perfect job" which I found at ORCA 4 years ago. I started in Middle School and shifted to High School 2 years ago when the opportunity to create a CTE Business pathway became available. I own my own business "Industry831" which includes several components including a marketing partnership and home refurbishments, rentals and hosting. As a life long learner, I have returned to college and am currently attending (virtually of course!) Creighton University where I am earning my MBA-Leadership. I love to organize, fly fish, volunteer and spend time with my family.

DR. CYNTHIA LOFTS

I am so excited to be part of the ASCEND team and I am looking forward to seeing you in my classes. Most of my life I have owned my own business. I have experience in hospitality, tourism, managing employees and operations, as well as graphic and website design. I graduated with a BA in Economics from University of Washington and received my MAT Secondary Mathematics from University of Southern California. I completed my Doctorate from Grand Canyon University in Education. I began my teaching career in 2017. This year I will be teaching mathematics and CTE courses.

MR. ERIC BRIGGS

It’s great to see you are considering the ASCEND Business + Management pathway. Perhaps I can share a little about myself in hopes that I will get to know you better in the near future. I have spent most of my career providing products and services to large multinational technology companies. I became a teacher in 2014 and have taught ESOL (English as a Second Language) Spanish as well as various business courses. I can help you connect a solid HS education to future career global opportunities. My education includes a B.S. in Business Management from BYU, a Masters in Teaching from Willamette University and am currently finishing up a Masters in Teaching Spanish from SOU. I have taught ESOL, Spanish, Marketing, Accounting and currently Principles of Business Management, Marketing & Finance.

Interested in joining?

If you have any questions about the program please contact the Career Advisory Teachers, or fill out the Interested in Joining form below.