Grade 10 Bring Business to Life at Villars Palace Resort | Beau Soleil

Grade 10 Bring Business to Life at Villars Alpine Resort

By David Davies, Grade 10 Leader & Teacher of Economics and Business Studies

This term, more than 60 Grade 10 Business students stepped beyond the classroom to take part in an innovative business project, developed in partnership with the Villars Alpine Resort and  aligned with the IB Middle Years Programme principles of inquiry, collaboration, and learning by doing.

Working in small teams of four, students were tasked with developing innovative concepts to enhance the resort’s brand image and increase off-peak attendance. The brief challenged them to balance creativity with commercial realism, focusing on customer engagement, participation and experience, and branding and image development.
 

Learning alongside industry professionals

A defining strength of the project was the close collaboration with industry experts, who guided students throughout the process and brought valuable professional insight into the classroom. Students worked alongside:

• Julia Barbey, Villars Palace Academy Manager

• Arthur Vieille, Villars Lodge Hotel Manager

• Danilo Huss, Sales and Marketing Director, Villars Alpine Resort

• Daniil Davis, third-year student and project mentor

Their input transformed the project into a demanding and inspiring professional experience, pushing students to think critically, refine their ideas, and communicate with clarity and confidence.
 

From brief to pitch

Over the course of the project, students responded to a live business brief and followed a structured process that mirrored real-world business practice. They developed a detailed action plan, produced a professional video pitch, presented their ideas to an expert judging panel, and submitted a formal written report as part of their assessment.

The experience required students to manage time, divide responsibilities, analyse data, and defend their decisions under questioning, all while working collaboratively as a team.



A winning idea with real-world potential

The winning concept proposed a luxury brand collaboration, aligning destination branding with premium experience design. The proposal demonstrated a strong understanding of brand values, audience positioning, and commercial viability.

The idea generated genuine enthusiasm from the judging panel, with its clarity of vision and attention to detail standing out clearly. Reflecting on the quality of the proposal, Danilo Huss remarked, “Maybe we should make it happen.”

Student reflections

Students reflected thoughtfully on the challenges and rewards of working on a live business project.

Margaryta, Luxury brand collaboration Concept
“This project really pushed me to think about leadership, management, and initiative. Working as a team under real constraints felt challenging but very rewarding.”

Isabela, Halloween Experience Concept
“We had to balance creativity with pricing and make sure activities appealed to both adults and children. It made me realise how many decisions go into designing a successful event.”

Vova, Luxury brand collaboration Concept
“I focused on the maths side, budgeting, pricing, and research. It was challenging to make everything realistic, but it helped me see how important numbers are in business decisions.”

Margaryta, Alpine Heritage Revival Concept
"As the project leader for the Alpine Heritage Revival, I guided my team through the entire process: from shaping the concept and organising our workflow to refining the visuals and final pitch. This role strengthened my leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills, as I learned how to balance creativity with structure and keep everyone aligned. The experience taught me responsibility, confidence, and how effective teamwork can turn an idea into a professional outcome we’re proud of."

Moments like these highlight the value of authentic, real-world learning. When students work on meaningful challenges alongside industry professionals, learning moves beyond theory into possibility, building confidence, creativity, collaboration, and professional communication.

Looking ahead

Building on this momentum, Term 3 will see students collaborate with White Frontier, a local brewer in the valley. This upcoming initiative will centre on a trade exhibition-style experience, combining selling techniques with a focused marketing strategy, once again placing students at the heart of real business decision-making.

Through partnerships like these, our students continue to engage with practical challenges that reflect the IB philosophy, preparing them to think critically, collaborate effectively, and operate confidently in real-world contexts.

Congratulations to our Grade 10 cohort for their professionalism, energy, and imagination and a special thank you to Eileen Ray, Neil Parkinson, Kearon McNichol (Business Teachers) and Julia at the Palace for making it happen!

To discover how our Middle Years Programme brings learning to life through inquiry, innovation, and real-world experience, we invite you to explore the MYP section of our website.