Badlands Cre8tions Renamed The Butte

The two embroidery machines in the classroom at Eagle Butte High School where The Butte operates out of were bought by teacher Sean Longmore from Customs Print & Stitch, where he worked while he was in high school. Longmore was always interested in business and, with no official business training, has learnt by trial and error.  

“I always wanted to be a teacher, my uncle was a teacher, and I loved the way people respected him. People really admired him and what he’d done, and I thought that was awesome,” stated Longmore.  

Longmore completed his education degree in Saskatoon, although he and his two brothers had already taken over the Labels store on 3 Street SE and created the Boys on Third brand. He worked at Medicine Hat Public School Division for the first seven years and moved over to Eagle Butte this past January.  

“It’s kind of crazy because this is exactly how I stared Boys on Third, doing something exactly like this, printing and pressing t-shirts. I love business, I love the business side of things, I love being able to create,” explained Longmore. “It’s not like teaching, it's better. I get to share all my experiences and I think if I would have had something like this in high school, I can only imagine where I would be. All the mistakes I’ve run into or had to overcome, I can hand them on a plate to the students and say these are the things you need to look for or change.”  

Of the 15 presenters Longmore brought in this semester, only one of them had a formal business background. All were successful, local business owners and Longmore feels hearing them speak gives students’ awareness that having an official piece of paper isn’t required to start a business. “From what I saw it’s those people who are willing to take the risk and think outside the box, they are the ones who get rewarded for it. Why not teach students to think critically and solve problems in a way that could benefit them,” said Longmore.  

Recently graduated Samantha Lentz enrolled in the course this January as a 20-level student, having taken the option in her Grade 10 year as well. “I’ve learned lots this year. We got to create our own websites, which was really helpful because as a 20-level student in this class, I got to do something I wanted to do,” explained Lentz.  

The website was her own project and, although working within a few guidelines, she was able to select the topic and had free reign to design the website how she wanted. Lentz has a small sheep flock of Canadian Arcotts, which “started with my 4-H background when I went out and bought my first couple of sheep,” said Lentz. “I really wanted to create my own herd in 2021, so I went out and bought six ewes and a ram and that’s when everything started.”  

The website is already live, although updates still need to be made, and Lentz plans to continue with her business. Her post-secondary plans are to attend the University of Lethbridge in September for their nursing prep program and apply for the Bachelor of Nursing degree next year.  

“My biggest learning in this class was team building and leadership skills. We did lots of morning bell works, which consisted of connections and strands, that all involved team building and working with others within the class to try and solve problems,” stated Lentz.  

Educational Assistant Neil Braun, who has been working at Eagle Butte for the past three years, has training as a graphic designer and works exclusively with the School of Business students. “I get to design and make art; I really feel like I come to work and hang out. I help students be creative and with their design work. A student can have all these cool ideas, but if they don’t know how to apply it, then that’s what I’m here for, to help them finalize it.” 

By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer