Indy School Creates Marketing Firm

(photo courtesy of Central Christian Academy)

A private school on the south side of Indianapolis has launched a marketing agency designed to give students real-world experience. Central Christian Academy says students involved with Chargers Marketing will provide services such as website creation, email marketing and lead generation to local nonprofit organizations. In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Head of School David Sexauer said students will be doing the majority of the work under the direction of Chief Executive Officer Brandon Stewart.

Sexauer says one of the primary goals of the company is to give the students access to real-world projects that will develop needed skills. He says having such a program prepares students to enter the workforce right out of high school.

"There’s a large segment of students who need to be prepared to go right into the workforce out of high school and so, for our students, this is essential," said Sexauer. "We’ve had students who have been the first in their immediate families to graduate from high school and thinking that they’re going to be able to jump from that to go to get a four-year degree somewhere, some of them can do that, but many of them would be better served by being able to go into the workforce and get a job that requires some level of skill and training."

One of the other goals of the company is to bring in additional revenue for the school. Sexauer adds the company will also fill a gap in the marketplace by providing much-needed services for nonprofits, which he says are part of an underserved market.

The company is starting with less than a dozen high school students participating, but Sexauer says the goal is to grow to about 75 students over time. Sexauer says the students will provide marketing services for the school itself, as well as a local church. He says they are also partnering with a local marketing agency that will use the students as subcontractors to help serve their clients.