Social Media Marketing

Photo from Social Media Marketing.

Aanya Ranasaria

Recently, a new and unique class is giving students hands-on experience in social media marketing while keeping the community informed about school events. The Social Media Marketing (SMM) independent study, run by business teacher and DECA advisor Mrs. Fields, has students working in teams to create weekly social media content for the school.

The idea for the SMM class originated with Mrs. Newcomer last year. Her goal was to share timely school news and spotlight achievements through social media channels. As she states, "It was important to me to give a platform for shining a spotlight on all of the amazing things happening in the classrooms and hallways at Hamilton."

Mrs. Newcomer collaborated with Mrs. Fields to develop class projects centered around social media marketing principles, launching the official SMM course in 2023-2024 school year. Every semester, Mrs. Fields carefully selects the SMM students based on their prior performance in her marketing classes. As Madeline Palicka explains, "Mrs. Fields asked me if I wanted to be a part of the class because I did well in marketing.” The first semester team of Olivia Thames, Tyler Schambow, and Palicka built the program's foundation. This semester's team of Nadia Maciejewski and Trey Vandermolen is expanding on that work with a more structured approach. 

Their responsibilities include developing creative posts like Trivia Tuesdays, shoutouts to sports teams and clubs, tips and tricks for high schoolers, and much more. The student teams collect information on news and events around Hamilton, making content that engages the school community of students, parents, and more. As Maciejewski describes, "Each month, the social media marketing team creates a content plan. Some themes we've done are overviews of classes for 2024-2025, spring clubs and sports, and college/graduation. Also, our Trivia Tuesday posts let students comment to win prizes."

As Mrs. Newcomer explains, "When the perspective comes from students, it has more meaning—that's why it was important to have students run it." By managing the school's social presence, SMM students gain invaluable real-world experience in marketing, content creation, project management, and analytics. 

"SMM has deepened my knowledge of data analytics and social media. It made me realize how much behind-the-scenes work goes into each post," says Maciejewski. The class also teaches soft skills like teamwork, time management, and independence. 

"It helped me become more independent and have to manage my own schedule," Palicka notes. 

Current and former SMM students state that they enjoyed the class and the experience it provided. "SMM was one of the best classes I took. It allowed me to explore further career opportunities in the marketing world," said Thames, part of the first semester SMM team. "The best part was working as a team—it was like a close-knit group you could lean on." 

It also provides real-world experience in social media marketing. Maciejewski states, "I want to go into business marketing, and this is a perfect first step.”

By trusting students with this responsibility, the SMM class provides unique, career-applicable experience in using social media for marketing purposes—sharing news, creating engagement, and building the school's brand and community. It's a hands-on learning opportunity that could open doors to future marketing careers. Make sure to follow them on Instagram @hhschargers_students!