Wolverines View: Entrepreneurship on the Rise at Westwood High School

Entrepreneurship is gaining momentum among students at Westwood High School. Although the school does not offer many business courses, students excel in their chosen business outside the classroom. The high school offers micro and macro economics to juniors and seniors, as well as market dynamics, which introduces students to financial systems and the economy, but much of the hands-on business experience happening today is student driven!
 
I was pleased to help launch a new club at Westwood High School this year, working with my co-founder, Haily Chen, to support students’ interests in entrepreneurship. DECA is an international organization that prepares students for the business world by equipping them with important skills in marketing, finance, leadership and entrepreneurship. DECA, in Westwood, provides exposure and engaging curriculum beyond what students learn in the classroom, and is the first active entrepreneurship-focused club at Westwood in many years. More than 50 students are part of the club.
 
Several students, varying in age, have built impressive enterprises on their own, including businesses in baking, power washing, and fitness. My club co-founder and friend, Haily, has built a successful Tiktok page centered around mental health and fitness content for teenagers. With more that 100,000 followers, Haily monetizes her platform through multiple revenue streams, including Tiktok payouts based on views and engagement. In addition, she partners with brands that align with her page, building relationships with well-known properties to further engagement with her teenage audience.
 
Sophomore Mia Heppelmann finds success through her smaller, more traditional baking company: Grazed. Mia operates a charcuterie business that designs customized tables for events, combining high-quality ingredients to create beautiful centerpieces. Mia works with multiple clients a month, one-on-one, to execute the perfect atmosphere, bringing people together in celebration over food.
 
Similarly, senior Jayden Pillard has operated a small-batch, artisan bread business, Jayden’s Dough, for the last six years, feeding over 1000 community members. He focuses on clean and healthy ingredients, and said, “Seeing people taste my product and the joy it brings them keeps me going. Conventional bread has many ingredients that humans aren’t meant to eat, so keeping it simple with the basics, but doing it right, makes for a proper product that people can enjoy and still feel good after consuming.”
 
Jayden advertises through his engaging social media page, feeding the community one loaf at a time.
 
Entrepreneurial spirit comes in all shapes and sizes at Westwood High. Junior Nicholas Demien and senior Andrew Easton founded Cedar Services, employing students and providing professional pressure-washing to residents in Westwood and surrounding towns. In the last six months, they have served over 60 homeowners, helping the community and keeping it clean at the same time.
 
Entrepreneurship at Westwood High School extends beyond the few examples highlighted here. Many other students are developing their own creative up-and-coming ventures that reflect a growing interest in innovation and independence. With rigor and course load at Westwood High time-consuming for many, these student-run businesses offer flexible hours for many students.
 
Even without a formal business program, Westwood students are finding ways to turn passion into real opportunities and futures – whether through social media, local services, or more traditional product-based businesses. Many of Westwood’s sports teams also engage in business, organizing fundraisers through campaigns like “Super Bowl Squares” or hosting car washes as a team. With the addition of Westwood’s new business club, entrepreneurship is becoming a meaningful part of the high school’s culture. As more students explore business ideas, the community is beginning to see how creativity, initiative, and ambition can thrive both inside and outside the classroom.