Sparking Creativity in High School Entrepreneurs

Ashley Gaffney Donna Martin

gaffnean@gm.sbac.edu martindw@gm.sbac.edu

Buchholz High School

Located in Gainesville, Florida Student population of 2,200 Suburban demographic Academic emphasis, highest rating on

state assessment tests

Academy of Entrepreneurship

Career academy established in 1993 Magnet program Present enrollment – 230 students, gr. 9-12 Variation of “academy”

– One elective class each year, two teachers

– Not leveled by academic ability– College prep curriculum, community

partnerships

Academy Structure

Corporate Officers– CEO—overall Spirit Spot success,

recruiting, officer installation, National Technical Honor Society

– COO—Spirit Spot operations– CFO—cash tills & reports for Spirit Spot– CMO—Spirit Spot marketing– CIO—Newsletters, press releases– DECA President—Projects, membership,

competition

Curriculum

Gr 9—Principles of Entrepreneurship Gr 10—Business Management & Law Gr 11—Business Ownership Gr 12—Retail Essentials

(optional)– Gr 11 or 12—Marketing Directed Study– Gr 11 or 12—Marketing On-the-Job

Training

9th Grade—Principles of Entrepreneurship

• Advantages / Disadvantages

• Setting Goals

• Communication

• Parts of a Business Plan

• Forms of Business Ownership

• Leadership / Management

• Ethics / Personal Responsibility

• Economics (Supply and Demand)

• Marketing and Advertising

• Financial Aspect of Business

• Technology

• Compensation and Benefits

10th Grade—Business Management and Law

• Economics (Supply & Demand)

• Entrepreneurial Potential

• Ideas vs. Opportunities

• Globalization

• Business Planning

• Market Analysis

• Business Ownership

• Legal Issues Facing Start-ups

• Government Regulations

• Site Selection and Layout

• Marketing Plan

• Price Strategy

• Promotion Strategy

• Channels of Distribution

International marketing club for high school students

Prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in high school students

Split into 2 chapters – 9th and 10th grade– 11th and 12th grade

Project-based and test-based competitions

DECA

DECA Projects

Creative Marketing – Business Fair

Entrepreneurship Promotion – Teaching kids at local Boys and Girls Club about entrepreneurship

Public Relations – Adopt-a-puppy-thon

Learn and Earn – Fundraising for MDA

Junior Achievement Success Skills

Develops personal strategies to achieve lifelong learning pursuits and career opportunities– Team-building – Problem-solving – Critical-thinking – Communication – Negotiation – Leadership

Mock-interviews conducted

Junior AchievementCompany Program

JA Company Program– Company structure and student roles– Capitalization– Customer-product focus– Product-market pricing– Company operations– Product sales– Company liquidation

Class Projects – Sales Unit

“Can You Sell It?” Project

Objectives—students learn and apply steps of the selling process

Project Details– 2-3 week unit

– Sales training videos used

– Pick a unique, non-existent product

– Work with partner and role play a sales pitch

– Rubric for grading

Class Projects – Advertising Unit

Objectives—to present an ad campaign to executives of an advertising firm

Utilizes differentiated instruction

Students choose a product and develop a portfolio

Rubric for grading

11th Grade—Business Ownership

Business Plans—teams of two– Junior Achievement program “Be

Entrepreneurial”– Junior Achievement “Company Program”– DECA Competitions

Business plans Business operations plans (market

research) Advertising campaigns

Community Partnerships

Junior Achievement– Students as learners– Students as teachers

Santa Fe College/CIED– Business pitch– Mentoring, seed money

Pizza Vito– Social media marketing

Class Projects

Credit Card Use for Spirit Spot– Fees– Terms and conditions

Bobcat Blankets– Marketing project involving social media– Video for uploading

Tshirt Designs– www.customink.com

www.youdesignit.com

The Spirit Spot

1200 sq. ft. retail store– Apparel, spirit items, school supplies, books– Café

Cooperative food program– Exclusive menu– Markup = 25-50 cents per item

Four POS systems, 2 lunch shifts daily

20 minutes before school—volunteer staff

Store Operations

6-time DECA National Gold-Level Certification

Gross sales last year = $50,000

School Uniforms—fantastic!!!

1 day per week for “book work”

Store Operations

Store Operations

Store Operations

Store Operations

Benefits to the Students

Real work experience Leadership and management experience Poise, self-confidence Application of knowledge and skills $ for DECA competition Enthusiasm, Excitement, Wholehearted

involvement