There has been a new item added to the concession stands during Potosi student home games. Have you noticed it? It’s Ace’s Pizza, the local business recently restarted by Ray Schink, which is now being incorporated into the Potosi School District through a simple collaboration.
It started when Tammy Cooley sent out an email promoting job opportunities at Ace’s Pizza; in turn, interested students reached out to Ray. This collaboration officially began on June 20th, 2025, when Schink hired his first student to remodel and repair Ace’s Pizza. “Tammy effectively covered the labor expenses,” as Schink described it. Once Ace’s officially opened at the end of August, Principal Michael Uppena reached out to Schink to support the new business through further collaboration.
The collaboration between Ace’s Pizza and the Potosi School District benefits both institutions simultaneously. By supplying pizzas at sporting events, Ace’s effectively promotes its business and gains more traction through the concession stand. Potosi School District provides the workers, and in turn, Ace’s grants discounts for every order made by the school. “We get quality pizza from our area instead of out of town, and our students are promoted to work closer,” Uppena explained the positives of the collaboration.
Schink and Uppena both agreed that this collaboration will continue in the future to promote both institutions. Schink claims that he hopes to “Continue to grow and foster students and workforce development in the community of Potosi.” It’s also believed that pizzas will remain the only item sold by Ace’s at Potosi sporting events.
Both Uppena and Schink believe that this collaboration will only continue to benefit both institutions with positive reinforcements. Students will learn effective discipline and responsibility at Ace’s Pizza while having a flexible schedule for extracurricular activities. With businesses being promoted in Potosi, it only encourages more healthy growth in the close community.
Uppena suggests we should “support our local businesses,” and Schink had a personal thank you to the community. “Thank you for supporting students, our community, and a beautiful place for me to raise my children.”