 When Mary Peterburs became the
School Business Partnership Coordinator
at West High School, she was determined
to revitalize the program in her building.
She began talking to Cindy Curtis, who
sits on the School Business Partnership’s
Board of Directors and is the Community
Relations Coordinator for Totem Ocean
Trailer Express (TOTE). In January of
2007, a partnership was officially formed
between West and TOTE.
The timing could not have been better.
West was in the midst of a major auditorium
renovation project, and TOTE is a
shipping company that transports cargo
from the Lower 48 to Anchorage. TOTE
offered to transport all of the auditorium’s
new seats… free of charge! This donation
represented a savings of $25,000. TOTE
has proven to be a generous business
partner, even in the team’s first year of
working together.
Ms. Curtis has also participated in
West’s Partners’ Panel Presentation each
semester and coordinated student field
trips. In November and April, students
from the School Business Partnership
class had the opportunity to tour one
of the TOTE ships. Students repeatedly
reported that it was the “best field trip
ever” and especially enjoyed watching
cargo containers being loaded on and off
the ship.
West students plan to help TOTE with
its United Way Day of Caring Food Drive
next fall. Students will assist with anything
from boxing to transporting the collected
food items.
This new partnership has already benefited
so many people at West, beyond
the 40 SBP students. The entire dance
department, music department, theater
department, and West High Alumnae
Association thoroughly enjoy the new
auditorium…especially those comfortable
new chairs. |
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Johnny Reutov, Paul Tomalonis, Terry Spielman (TOTE), Darien Lakhdar, Hannah Hilowitz, George Pletnikoff, Jordan Monk, Mary Peterburs |
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