By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Students at Ellis High School are diving into entrepreneurship with their new printing business, The Railway.
Ellis Superintendent Janice Wilson said the idea came from the owner of Vineyard Creations after they discussed a possible school business.
Wilson said The Railway received support and funding from the Board of Education.
"We got input from staff, applied for a grant and were awarded $25,000 from the Dane. G. Hansen Foundation," she said.
The Railway utilized the grant to purchase equipment, inventory, and additional resources to set up and support the juniors in the workshop.
The nonprofit produces T-shirts and hoodies with custom designs for school sports teams. It plans to expand to include additional items such as hats, bags and cups.
The printing business runs one hour a day, five days a week, during regular school hours. Art teacher Justin Longbine and business teacher Kyle Fox lead the class.
The Railway opened in October after months of preparation and equipment setup. Its first client was the boys' junior high basketball team.
"They were the first ones we wanted to tackle because we knew when we first got the equipment we needed to learn it," Longbine said.
Classes like graphic design and web page design contribute to business, while workshop students develop screen printing and inventory management skills.
"It's that discipline of ensuring they understand where they're at in the screen printing process," Longbine said. "There's a lot of variables for error... it's taking their time and being able to follow that process instead of willy nilly."
The printing business works with the school to produce apparel and designs for school spirit and community-oriented products.
The Railway partners with OrderMyGear for online orders, but it is not accessible for community members to browse. Plans are underway for a more comprehensive online store.
Longbine said operating during school hours poses time constraints, and he is considering extending the workshop beyond the academic year, giving students more work opportunities.
"They may not want to pursue this as a job, but if some of them go to Fort Hays, they can get a job at one of those other businesses. It gives them a leg up," he said.
One student said she plans to retake the class during her senior year, while another said she enjoys seeing others wear the designs they created.
"It's exciting to see how we're improving and seeing the kids in our school wearing the stuff that we make," one student said.
The process starts with students coating screens with emulsion and exposing them to light to burn a design onto the screen. The prepared screen is then used to apply ink to materials such as shirts.
Once printed, the ink is set using a flash dryer and fully cured in a larger dryer. Vinyl is used to personalize the product with names and unique details.
As students gain hands-on experience in the workshop, Fox manages the marketing and financial aspects of the business, incorporating his classes into these tasks.
"My web page class is involved, and they've been doing a lot of the marketing," Fox said. "My business class has also been involved in the ordering process and cost analysis."
Fox said all earnings are reinvested into the business to build inventory, ensuring its continuation into the next semester.
Wilson said Ellis residents, such as students, families, and business owners, are their primary customers. However, printed products are also available to surrounding communities.
"We're not only providing kids with an experience, we are providing the community with a service. It connects the community, which we are always looking for," she said.
