In 2023, during the month of July, a small group of 11th grade students from Cranberry High School (Kaleb Heath, Paige Micco, Mackenize Snyder, Mallory McMasters, and Keelie Schneider) traveled to Lycoming College & Pennsylvania College of Technology to engage in PFEW (Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week).

PFEW  is an educational program held during the summer that provides practical, hands-on education not found in any other business program. Students are immersed in the world of business and come to understand and appreciate the American free enterprise system.

Prior to the event, students wrote essays to gather sponsorships to be able to attend PFEW at a greatly reduced cost and were successful at doing so. 

Cranberry High School students performed very well in various categories, being honored with awards and earning monetary scholarships at the attended college.

Kaleb Heath won a $5,000-a-year scholarship to Lycoming College as well as a scholarship to PennTech.

Receiving an honorable mention for Marketing, Keelie Schneider’s team, represented the PetCo company. This category required teams to make posters to advertise a product in various ways as well as create a radio and television advertisement.

“PFEW taught me so much about the business world that I never knew about,” said Schneider. 

In addition to the honorable mention in Marketing, Schneider’s team also won a debate.

Mallory McMasters, who was the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of her company at PFEW, received honorable mention for her marketing presentation and said that she “learned a lot about math within the real world and how the smallest things in a business affect so much.”

The most impressive accomplishments were from Paige Micco whose company won not only in Management Skills, but was also the Top Company of 21 teams in week 3.  This highest achievement awarded each team member a $15,000 scholarship for Lycoming College and a share of stock in Newell Brands.

Micco’s team also earned an honorable mention for Quality Management.

“PFEW was one of the best weeks of my life and it's definitely one I will never forget! I will recommend everyone to take that opportunity and step out of their comfort zone,” says Micco.