Building Leadership & CreativityThrough Projects

Donna Martin, Chip Lowe – Academy of EntrepreneurshipEmail martindw@gm.sbac.edu / Website www.spiritspotbhs.com

Buchholz High School

• Academy of Entrepreneurship Environment

• Encouragement to participate in activities organized by other students

• DECA Projects allow for students to compete with projects

• Teachers manage the projects to ensure success

Project Organization

• Selecting student leaders– Students generate project ideas and then follow through with

their project

• Project organization & delegation– To ease the preparation of the 30-page DECA project reports,

students work in their areas of experience to write their section– All chapter members are involved through large events,

fundraisers, selling tickets, marketing and promotion, and through various other opportunities each project

DECA Projects

• Several Project Categories:– Learn & Earn Project– Public Relations Project– Entrepreneurship Promotion Project– Community Service Project– Creative Marketing Project– Financial Literacy Promotion Project

Projects by Buchholz

Learn & Earn Projects

• Dancing with the Teachers & Staff/Student Basketball Game– Fundraiser for State Competition– Involved cooperation between

DECA & Student Council– Business partnerships and

sponsorships in the community– Completely organized by

freshmen DECA members

Public Relations Projects

• Alachua County Library:Teen Scene– Mission: Bring teens into age-

friendly environment at library branch

– Using our members, we were able to gain a perspective of what students want in a library

– Assisted in redesign of Millhopper Branch

– Organized a “Teen Day” at the library

Entrepreneurship Promotion Projects

• Boys & Girls Club andJunior Achievement Partnership– Academy students and JA

Volunteers engaged the students in activities in afterschool programs

– Final day of the program was with “My Own Business” JA program in the computer lab and students were able to win rewards

Community Service Projects

• MDA Ball-a-Thon– County-wide 3-on-3 basketball

tournament– Fundraiser for Muscular

Dystrophy Association through ticket sales and registration fees

– Volunteer opportunities for Academy students & good public relations in the community

Creative Marketing Projects

• “Positive Environmentalism for the Next Generation”– Partnership with Gainesville

Regional Utilities to promote their Green Business Certification Program & Services

– Promoted recycling and environmentalism to local businesses

– Instituted Good Earthkeeping Seal certification on school level with vending machines, school electronics, etc.

Financial Literacy Projects

• Elementary Financial Education– Group of students went to local

elementary school over a multi-week period

– Taught financial basics to 2nd graders

– The last day was a “finale” where students who were able to answer questions earned prizes

Teaching the entrepreneurs of tomorrow!

The Spirit Spot

• School-Based Enterprise– 1200 square feet– Run by Academy seniors– Student manage the inventory design and control,

finances, marketing, and sales– Sell Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, other low-calorie foods,

apparel, school supplies, and books for outside reading

Co-op Food Cart

• Partnership between Food Service and Academy– Cafeteria prepares food– Exclusive menu– We pay their retail price– Our markup is 25-50 cents per item– Average profit = $35 per day– Everybody wins!

The Bob Cart!

Teacher Oversight in Projects

• Teacher is the advisor and should let students “run” the project, but give advice and intervene when they know that certain situations won’t work

• Transparency must exist so that students & teachers can easily communicate to achieve success

• Bottom Line: Both students & teachers learn through projects. Students gain skills necessary for the career environment & teachers stay “in-the-loop” on new trends amongst teens.

You Can Succeed in Projects too!

Buchholz DECA State Competitors 2008-2009