Schuyler high students revitalize hospital gift shop with community-focused initiative

SCHUYLER, Neb. — The CHI Health hospital gift store in Schuyler, once a vibrant spot for shoppers, has been given a new lease on life thanks to a collaborative effort led by local business teacher Grant Torpin and his students.

After remaining largely unused since the COVID-19 pandemic, the space is now set to become a community hub showcasing locally-sourced products.

"It’s a student-run gift shop, so we get real-world experience instead of classroom tests, quizzes, and assignments," said Joarcy Sanchez, a senior at Schuyler Central High School.

Torpin's vision extends beyond the typical hospital gift shop of get-well cards and balloons. Instead, the reimagined store will feature items from local entrepreneurs, offering unique products to patients, staff, and the wider community.

"We have about six displays of products from local entrepreneurs who have small businesses or kind of side hustles," Torpin explained. "It's not only a way to provide that service for the hospital, but it's also an opportunity to grow our town."

The initiative also incorporates items from the hospital auxiliary, which previously managed the gift shop, blending familiar favorites with new local offerings.

Proceeds from the shop will support the hospital, the entrepreneurship class, and the participating local businesses. The project has also partnered with Schuyler Central Schools' special education department, providing valuable work opportunities for students with special needs.

"It’s going to serve as a way to provide some work opportunities for students with special needs," Torpin noted. "It’ll give them that real-world work experience that's really important for our students."

Sanchez hopes the community will recognize the significance of this student-led venture. "This is a big deal," Sanchez said, "I hope the community understands if students have an idea, and they put their mind to it, a business like this can be opened."