Graduate class idea helps Hazleton Academy students learn the power of entrepreneurship

Creativity and entrepreneurship are coming together at Hazleton Area Cyber Academy through an innovative cross-curricular project inspired by a Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg graduate business course.

Spearheaded by business teacher Sam Snyder ’25M, in collaboration with Hazleton art teacher Alana Gadola, the Turning Art into a Business initiative was launched last year to introduce students to the real-world process of transforming creative ideas into marketable products. The idea was sparked from a class discussion Snyder keyed on while pursuing her master’s in business education.

“I found my students are very excited about starting a business or owning their own business,” said Snyder, who recently transitioned into teaching after more than two decades in the business world. “There are people who turn their side hustle into their main source of income or into support for their family during a difficult financial time. With this in mind, I wanted to help students find their own footing and career path if they wanted to pursue entrepreneurship.”

Snyder took the idea to her fellow high school teachers, pitching the collaborative project between art and business.

“They loved it, so I applied for a grant to purchase a Tumbler press,” Snyder said. “I asked art to do one for the Cricut. We called it Turning Art into a Business and the other Promoting Entrepreneurship with Business.”

Both grants were approved through Partners in Education, a non-profit Hazleton business and education alliance, allowing the cyber team to purchase a variety of equipment, including a converted sublimation printer, heat presses, ink, paper, and blanks for transferring student artwork onto items like cups, bags, and magnets.

The project’s goal was simple but powerful: to help students understand how artistic skill and business savvy can intersect to create real opportunities.

“If we can get our students excited about entrepreneurship while having actual products they made, it helps them build a foundation for their own success,” Snyder said.

Business Community Connection

Snyder and Gadola invited local entrepreneurs, including business owner Brian Galada, to talk directly with students. Galada shared his personal journey from employee to entrepreneur and discussed the importance of branding, persistence, and adaptability in the business world.

The highlight came when students gathered at the Cyber Academy to bring their designs to life. Working hands-on, they printed their artwork on sublimation paper and transferred them onto tumblers, drawstring bags, towels, car coasters, and more. For many students, it was the first time seeing their art transformed into a tangible, sellable product.

“The students were highly engaged,” Snyder said. “They enjoyed making their objects and learned valuable lessons about starting their own business.”

For Snyder, this project represents more than an academic exercise — it reflects a full-circle moment. Inspired by a resource shared during a Bloomsburg graduate class, she’s now paying that inspiration forward to her Hazleton students.