by Dustin Duong
On October 7, courtesy of OrthoCarolina’s Vice President of Marketing, Blair Primis, Vance High School’s DECA club was treated to something that took us out of our daily routine, and placed us in two settings that were, if nothing else… different! If we were to miss an entire day of school, it ought to have been for good reason. And, what a good reason it was!
The first half of the day was spent in a warehouse in downtown Charlotte. Yes, while it is true that a warehouse in the inner city sounds pretty conspicuous, there was really no cause for concern. In fact, it was far from the dark, damp ambiance that comes with the title. We had Creative Mornings to thank for that.
On October 7, courtesy of OrthoCarolina’s Vice President of Marketing, Blair Primis, Vance High School’s DECA club was treated to something that took us out of our daily routine, and placed us in two settings that were, if nothing else… different! If we were to miss an entire day of school, it ought to have been for good reason. And, what a good reason it was!
The first half of the day was spent in a warehouse in downtown Charlotte. Yes, while it is true that a warehouse in the inner city sounds pretty conspicuous, there was really no cause for concern. In fact, it was far from the dark, damp ambiance that comes with the title. We had Creative Mornings to thank for that.
Creative Mornings is an international organization made especially for creative minds once a month, a local chapter will host a breakfast and lecture at a not-so-secret location. All of the creative folk from the surrounding area are invited to experience something fresh, something new in the mid-morning hours! And, my, it is executed so well! This program, drawing from a global theme released by the international community, is elegant in form and presentation, and is simply incredible!
This month’s theme was “Transparency,” and with several looming elections that are varyingly significant, the timing could not have been better. So, who is it that one calls in to discuss a subject of this sort? Well, firstly, a politician--naturellement--, and, of course, a sausage-maker, bringing to mind the quote about the respect set aside for legislation and sausages. The final product is palatable, even digestible, but the process of creating them will make anyone sick.
She was a seasoned restaurateur with her eye on true organic. He was a Senator intent on perpetuating actual democracy. It was food for thought, in a time wrought with political apathy and corporate agriculture.
To best describe the grace with which they tackled the concept, I must ask you to imagine a child jumping up and down giddily. They opened with humor, leaving the stage to an enthusiastic and engaging host, offering a bird’s eye view of the two concepts that would dictate the course of the lecture. Then, with little shame, they introduced the two speakers, Senator Jackson and Cassie Parsons from Harvest Moon Grille, in a Presidential debate format, posing various questions that have been on the mind of many of us, which we may have simply been afraid to ask. Or, if we hadn’t even given it a passing thought, they made it clear that we certainly would today. It was evident that they cared, they cared so much for that which they were called to defend, and it was sure to sway even the most adamant of spirits. They knew why they were there, and they wouldn’t let a single thing soar above our heads.
It was an enlightening experience, one that we would not have traded for a few hours in school. A warm, inviting atmosphere underscored by passionate, emphatic speakers on pressing issues? Count us in any day.
The whole experience left us feeling empowered and energetic, and it left me with a raw sense of “wow, that was amazing.” It was disappointing to see it end so soon. But, onto another adventure in the second half of the day we went!
We returned to the bus with a few souvenirs--some of us had held onto our nametags, and some of us helped ourselves to complementary magazines--, and we were off to the Foundry, a collection of businesses set into the coat of a pseudo-industrial setting. You could almost smell the metal, likely because that’s what most of the decor consisted of. Running into a particularly small building with a light over the door for fear of precipitation, we were met by five amiable faces, four of whom were sitting at the front of the room in true meet-and-greet style with the fifth hard at work behind us. So, where were we? A small business, based right here in Charlotte!
Charlotte Agenda is a media outlet with its thumb on the pulse of the Queen City, headed by a few, very-involved individuals. Whoever says that the youthful aren’t able to properly run a business will have to see these strapping entrepreneurs, because a quick glance at their website suggests that they’re fairly successful, what with a constant stream of information, a number of developed relationships with larger businesses, and journalism! After Creative Mornings, what is it that these five have to offer? Much-needed insight into the world of starting a business!
They had some questions prepared (and a number of gifts), but accepted some of ours. Despite being busy people with busy schedules--I’m sure--, they cleared a bit of their time to answer them, with a touch of personability! As proven by these five, the business world isn’t necessarily as cutthroat as it seems, and it isn’t a difficult as some may believe. What one requires is simply an idea, effort, and some semblance of organization.
Not only that, but we were granted an opportunity to show our own, business-like colors with a scenario presented by the resident corporate partner--the Digital Marketing Manager from BoJangles! We were allotted a few minutes to brainstorm, and present a solution to a very real, actively-pressing concern by a large company. Experience at its finest!
An entirely different experience from Creative Mornings, at that--one more tight-knit and personal--,but still just as enjoyable.
Afterward, we took another, rain-soaked stroll through the Foundry to visit Draught, a local restaurant that was more than willing to service a band of thirty-odd high school students. Set into the seemingly gritty, metallurgic husk of a factory, it was refreshingly homely on the interior, a more-than-nice contrast to the inhospitable weather of the day. The bar was abuzz with life, televisions set above it as the patrons simply spoke amongst themselves, though I was not able to watch it for long, having been seated almost immediately.
The lights were dim to allow natural light to flood into the dining room, but it was still quite a warm environment. The furniture matched the decor closely, and everything seemed to subtly suggest “make yourself at home.” So, we settled in, drying ourselves off, and ordered our food.
It may have simply been my accustomation to fast, manufactured food, but our meals weren’t served for some time. Though, that was likely a testament to the quality, and what quality it was! The wait was certainly worth their delicate care for their food. Besides, we preoccupied ourselves socially, bonding amongst ourselves, so all was well.
Presentation was simple, to drop into my “food critic” persona, but all for the better. Unadorned presentation is indicative of something that you simply know is true to what it’s meant to be, especially in a restaurant of this sort. The taste was striking, however, and I made an effort to gulp it all down despite being full at the time. Fresh ingredients are preferable to frozen and manufactured in any instance, and I do believe that my peers would agree. I would much like to visit again.
All-in-all: what a day it was!
This month’s theme was “Transparency,” and with several looming elections that are varyingly significant, the timing could not have been better. So, who is it that one calls in to discuss a subject of this sort? Well, firstly, a politician--naturellement--, and, of course, a sausage-maker, bringing to mind the quote about the respect set aside for legislation and sausages. The final product is palatable, even digestible, but the process of creating them will make anyone sick.
She was a seasoned restaurateur with her eye on true organic. He was a Senator intent on perpetuating actual democracy. It was food for thought, in a time wrought with political apathy and corporate agriculture.
To best describe the grace with which they tackled the concept, I must ask you to imagine a child jumping up and down giddily. They opened with humor, leaving the stage to an enthusiastic and engaging host, offering a bird’s eye view of the two concepts that would dictate the course of the lecture. Then, with little shame, they introduced the two speakers, Senator Jackson and Cassie Parsons from Harvest Moon Grille, in a Presidential debate format, posing various questions that have been on the mind of many of us, which we may have simply been afraid to ask. Or, if we hadn’t even given it a passing thought, they made it clear that we certainly would today. It was evident that they cared, they cared so much for that which they were called to defend, and it was sure to sway even the most adamant of spirits. They knew why they were there, and they wouldn’t let a single thing soar above our heads.
It was an enlightening experience, one that we would not have traded for a few hours in school. A warm, inviting atmosphere underscored by passionate, emphatic speakers on pressing issues? Count us in any day.
The whole experience left us feeling empowered and energetic, and it left me with a raw sense of “wow, that was amazing.” It was disappointing to see it end so soon. But, onto another adventure in the second half of the day we went!
We returned to the bus with a few souvenirs--some of us had held onto our nametags, and some of us helped ourselves to complementary magazines--, and we were off to the Foundry, a collection of businesses set into the coat of a pseudo-industrial setting. You could almost smell the metal, likely because that’s what most of the decor consisted of. Running into a particularly small building with a light over the door for fear of precipitation, we were met by five amiable faces, four of whom were sitting at the front of the room in true meet-and-greet style with the fifth hard at work behind us. So, where were we? A small business, based right here in Charlotte!
Charlotte Agenda is a media outlet with its thumb on the pulse of the Queen City, headed by a few, very-involved individuals. Whoever says that the youthful aren’t able to properly run a business will have to see these strapping entrepreneurs, because a quick glance at their website suggests that they’re fairly successful, what with a constant stream of information, a number of developed relationships with larger businesses, and journalism! After Creative Mornings, what is it that these five have to offer? Much-needed insight into the world of starting a business!
They had some questions prepared (and a number of gifts), but accepted some of ours. Despite being busy people with busy schedules--I’m sure--, they cleared a bit of their time to answer them, with a touch of personability! As proven by these five, the business world isn’t necessarily as cutthroat as it seems, and it isn’t a difficult as some may believe. What one requires is simply an idea, effort, and some semblance of organization.
Not only that, but we were granted an opportunity to show our own, business-like colors with a scenario presented by the resident corporate partner--the Digital Marketing Manager from BoJangles! We were allotted a few minutes to brainstorm, and present a solution to a very real, actively-pressing concern by a large company. Experience at its finest!
An entirely different experience from Creative Mornings, at that--one more tight-knit and personal--,but still just as enjoyable.
Afterward, we took another, rain-soaked stroll through the Foundry to visit Draught, a local restaurant that was more than willing to service a band of thirty-odd high school students. Set into the seemingly gritty, metallurgic husk of a factory, it was refreshingly homely on the interior, a more-than-nice contrast to the inhospitable weather of the day. The bar was abuzz with life, televisions set above it as the patrons simply spoke amongst themselves, though I was not able to watch it for long, having been seated almost immediately.
The lights were dim to allow natural light to flood into the dining room, but it was still quite a warm environment. The furniture matched the decor closely, and everything seemed to subtly suggest “make yourself at home.” So, we settled in, drying ourselves off, and ordered our food.
It may have simply been my accustomation to fast, manufactured food, but our meals weren’t served for some time. Though, that was likely a testament to the quality, and what quality it was! The wait was certainly worth their delicate care for their food. Besides, we preoccupied ourselves socially, bonding amongst ourselves, so all was well.
Presentation was simple, to drop into my “food critic” persona, but all for the better. Unadorned presentation is indicative of something that you simply know is true to what it’s meant to be, especially in a restaurant of this sort. The taste was striking, however, and I made an effort to gulp it all down despite being full at the time. Fresh ingredients are preferable to frozen and manufactured in any instance, and I do believe that my peers would agree. I would much like to visit again.
All-in-all: what a day it was!
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