Networking 1 class project idea help

Alright I've been unlucky enough to have a horrible teacher for this class its a college class so let me start by putting what we have in our lab

Multiple computers/workstations set up and plugged into a gateway connected to a server.

We have to do something to show we know how to i guess work with networks and he hasn't given us much hands on time at all besides making a cable! Well my group we have come up with an idea of using maybe 3 of the workstations setting them up like a small business such as having one being a boss/ceo one being a marketing department and another accounting department, then having files view able to only marketing only accounting and then all plus some view able to the boss!

We can install server 08 on a workstation if we needed to but we are trying to avoid that, and we also are trying to think of other ways to maybe spice that up have some kind of FTP set up or some kind of security procedures, we have printers at our disposal as well, and are also open to the idea of a VPN if we could find some kind of free host he said we would need and he was not sure if they were out there.

For this project we have to explain what we are going to do, then explain what we are going to prove, show a topology diagram of all the pieces of equipment we will be using.

Any ideas suggestions ect would be great we turn in all this information then our final project is implementing and showing/presenting the project! Our book isn't the greatest for this stuff mainly just explains terms! He also grades on creativity which is why i want to spice that original idea up a bit!

Thanks guys!

If you install server 2008 or a router you could either subnet the 3 pcs into different subnets or setup vlans. Then setup the router to only allow coe pc to view everyones computer. No one to see the ceo.... ect....

Remember that protocols and standards are very important when take certs.

Sorry for the dumbness, do you know any good how to/informational sites for that or maybe just the general description of doing it that you know? he skips over way to much specifics saying eh well go over that in advanced networking ect its horrible

I'm not sure how good his network + is but professor messer has free courses
http://www.professormesser.com

I will check that out! Thanks! Hitting the sheets for the night class bright and early any other suggestions ideas help is very welcome still working on getting everything together we have another week to get it together!

Thanks!