The Power of Your Co-op

When schools need to make large purchases, they can go through their local coop to save some money. The co-op lists pre-approved vendors, saving schools time, money and hassle by listing their choices. When it came time to purchase a video display for their field, North Scott High School in Iowa was pleased to see a 10% discount when purchasing a display through their co-op.

“This is a huge advantage for schools to eliminate the legwork of getting bids, comparing details and making hard decisions on large investments,” said Dave Vogelgesang, Daktronics regional sales representative.

When students learned the school would be purchasing a new video display, they set to work and volunteered their time to create content for it. North Scott gives these students academic credit for building content, editing, filming and more for game day production.

“Technology like this not only keeps score, but it gives a valuable education in today’s world, offering a jumpstart on getting a feel for the workforce,” Vogelgesang added. “It creates a super bang for your buck. Your content is fresh, local businesses get their names in front of faces and much more. Everybody wins.”

North Scott’s Superintendent, Joe Stutting, couldn’t agree more. “We look at this as a revenue gainer. We are looking for advertisements to fund all activities.”

Six students are currently receiving service learning credits to operate the display. They are in charge of programming, ads, commercials and are under the direction of Jason Schroeder, Associate Principal/Activities Director, as well as 2 other teachers with IT backgrounds assisting.

“We are running some videos, highlights from previous games, the starting lineup and a 90-second walkout theme,” said Schroeder. “An individual watched a Green Bay Packers game recently and want to try to introduce our team in the same way the Packers do. Their creativity matches their drive to create more content all the time.”

“A board like this funds all kinds of activities,” Stutting stated. “This display supports football, History Days, and — for example, the golf team. They don’t get a revenue source at the gate. The board isn’t about football and athletics. It’s about all student activities.”

A 10% discount can play a huge part in keeping things affordable at school, especially with other projects going on. “We have renovations right now, including a new weight room, set of gyms and an auditorium remodel,” Stutting said. But it goes beyond the school, itself. “Digital boards are part of our communication system. They help advertise fundraisers and partner well with our community and city. The better we use it, the more valuable it will be.”