By Sean Avery
Columbia Gorge News
HOOD RIVER — On April 30, students from Hood River Valley High School’s (HRVHS) Business Club went on a field trip to Hindustani — many of whom were trying Indian cuisine for the first time — for an on-the-ground lens into local entrepreneurship and hospitality.
Later, accompanied by former HRVHS business teacher and current Business Club co-advisor Brian Klem, the group visited The Society Hotel in Bingen for an educational tour.
During the 2024-25 school year, the Hood River County School District cut its business program due to budget constraints, ceasing formal coursework. For Klem and his top students, though, a desire to sustain the high school’s business club persisted. “We didn’t want things to end abruptly,” he said. “We felt that we had momentum; we were building things.”
Thus, current Business Club President Austin Champion and a handful of his peers worked to keep it alive, leading to steady growth over the last two years. Now, the club’s 11 students meet every Friday during the school’s free period, W.I.N (What Individuals Need), and operate a smoothie business out of the student store — a creative solution to recently implemented nutritional standards.
Champion initially joined the club because of his interest in marketing and product creation. As president, he oversees business operations, observing and supporting peers who run the cash register or blend drinks. “I’ve learned a lot about how restaurants and businesses should work, how to staff them, how to manage and buy quality ingredients, and how to make sure you make a profit,” he said.
All money the club generates is put back into local restaurants and funds its field trips, meant to provide students with diverse experiences in the business sector. Last fall, they visited prolific ad agency Wieden+Kennedy in Portland.
This time around, they wanted to visit somewhere local. Recognizing the hospitality industry’s strong presence in the Gorge, Klem ultimately decided on one restaurant and one hotel. “We’ve got a community that gives a lot to the school district and youth,” he said. “We’re looking for a way to be a part of that and give back while also providing students with unique experiences.”
On field trips, club members learn things they might not in the traditional classroom setting (i.e., the basics of marketing and accounting). “Here, we’re hearing real stories about how small businesses got started and some of the early moves that made them successful,” Klem said. “Hearing it from real owners in the community provides a different context than we could ever do as teachers.”
Before students dug into an all-you-can-eat buffet, Hindustani owner Babita Kainth shared her journey, building an authentic Indian food business from scratch in rural America. She emphasized vision, finances, focus, patience, loving what you do, hiring passionate people, and staying true to yourself as keys to success.
“If there is determination, the sky’s the limit,” Kainth said. “You can achieve whatever you want to.”
First-timers and longtime enjoyers alike, Business Club students gave a big thumbs up to the buffet, which included butter chicken, paneer butter masala, samosas, freshly baked naan, and other Indian staples.
Moving forward, Klem would love to bring back a formal entrepreneurship course to HRVHS and eventually create an entrepreneurship center, providing students with more structured time to learn, create their own things, or start their own unique businesses.
The Business Club hopes to connect with more small businesses in the Gorge community for field trips. For students looking to sign up or community members seeking more information, visit www.hrvbusiness.com.
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