Liberty High School alumna DelRae Cicinelli, class of 2010, is helping stimulate the local economy by creating and selling organic skin and home care products from her very own retail location in the West Valley and online.
Cicinelli attributes much of her success to her experience in Peoria Unified’s award-winning Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. In high school, she focused on business foundations when she helped run Liberty High School’s student store. While still in high school, Cicinelli felt the spark for becoming an entrepreneur and wrote her first business plan. The business and marketing classes helped prepare her for managing the point-of-sale transactions in the student store and, through that experience, she found a love for running a small business.
Following high school graduation, she temporarily switched gears from entrepreneurship to focus more on healthcare. However, in 2014, goals were nearly thwarted when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. While trying to cope with her diagnosis, Cicinelli used the knowledge and skills from her experience in healthcare to try to find healthy, organic remedies, she shares. Through that process, she discovered ways that specific herbs and essential oils could make an impact in her own life. Using the business and marketing tools she learned through the CTE program at Liberty High School, Cicinelli has now positioned herself to provide the same healthy and organic options to others. Cicinelli married her passion for health with her business and marketing background to become a successful small business owner.
With a storefront for her growing business in Surprise, Cicinelli offers a wide variety of organic products, including a special line for “littles.” For those interested in learning more about her business, Cicinelli’s Loil Life Shop is located at 13547 N. Litchfield Road, #34, in Surprise. You can also visit loillife.com for more info.
In Peoria Unified, students have the option to choose from 25 programs in six different career pathways in Career and Technical Education. These programs range from business and marketing to health services, allowing students at each of Peoria Unified’s high schools to find their passion. For more information on Peoria Unified’s award-winning Career and Technical Education programs, visit peoriaunified.org/cte.
