Entrepreneurship Everywhere
Sample Entrepreneurship Education
Programs in the United States
FLORIDA
Broward County School Board,
Institute of Business and Entrepreneurship
Donna Caplan, Curriculum/Program Facilitator
Institute of Business and Entrepreneurship Project
The School Board of Broward County, Florida
Vocational, Adult, and Community Education
600 SE Third Avenue, 11th Floor
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
754-321-2629
Fax: 754-321-2634
Email: donna.caplan@browardschools.com
Focus: Provide entrepreneurship education through an interdisciplinary business, social studies, and language arts curriculum.
Geographic Area: The IBE program is currently offered in three high schools in Broward County with an enrollment of approximately 100 students.
Products and Services: Products available include a comprehensive curriculum guide that includes activities, projects, and assessments designed for each individual course. Services provided to schools include identification of staff development opportunities and applicable instructional materials in addition to coordination of teacher training, student seminars, mentor/student orientations; mentor recruitment, and guest speaker recruitment.
Age Level: High school juniors and seniors.
Key Partners: Mentors/guest speakers from local businesses
Abstract: In 1995, the Institute of Business and Entrepreneurship (IBE) was developed as a collaborative effort between the school board of Broward County, Florida, and the Enterprise Ambassador USA of Nova Southeastern University. The IBE program is a two-year sequence of six courses designed to educate high school juniors and seniors about entrepreneurship and the opportunities and responsibilities of America's free enterprise system. The school board of Broward County, Florida, has been an associate member of the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education since 1996.
The IBE program was originally designed to infuse Enterprise Ambassador USA activities and projects into an existing business management curriculum. The business management curriculum was expanded to include not only business-student standards (e.g., keyboarding, computer applications, business management, business law, and entrepreneurship) but also social-studies student standards (e.g., American government and economics). In 1998-99, the program was further expanded to include language arts student standards.
The IBE program is an exemplary school-to-work program that links the classroom to the real world of business through a project-oriented curriculum. IBE activities and projects include:
- Business Mentors and Applied Business Studies-Students interact with their own personal business mentor through an applied business studies program.
- Seminars-Students have an opportunity to meet successful entrepreneurs in a small group setting by attending the Broward County Career and Technical Student Conference. In addition, DeVry University sponsored an Entrepreneurship Workshop for the IBE students.
- Special Projects-Juniors plan and implement a neighborhood-based community service project. Proceeds from the project are donated to local charities selected by the students.
By serving as mentors to elementary schools in their school's innovation zone, seniors teach elementary school students about free enterprise and the importance of goal setting and personal management. Seniors may also participate in a project that develops a supportive relationship with disadvantaged children in their own neighborhood.
Individual and School-Based Businesses-During the junior year, students develop a basic business plan. The senior curriculum focuses on the development of a comprehensive business plan. IBE students have an opportunity to put their business plans into action by planning and starting their own individual business or by participating in a school-based business. Examples of school-based businesses the students have planned, organized, and operated include a café for community school students, school stores, and a breakfast-delivery service for teachers.
Postsecondary Articulation and Scholarship Opportunities-Students who graduate from the IBE program may receive articulated college credit at Broward Community College. Students receive from three to six credits, depending on their postsecondary major. IBE students who meet all eligibility criteria qualify for the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award and may qualify for other scholarships as well.
Special Recognition-Students earn community service hours by participating in special projects; receive recognition through participation in Business Professionals of America competitive events. Seniors are also recognized with the presentation of a special certificate of completion and a medallion.
Buchholz High School,
Academy of Entrepreneurship
Dianne Lauramoore, Director
Academy of Entrepreneurship
Buchholz High School
5510 NW 27th Street
Gainesville, FL 32606
352-955-6702, Ext. 50
Fax: 352-955-7285
Email: entrepre@yahoo.com
Focus: Senior high school
Abstract: The academy has been an evolution of a management/law
course into an innovative
entrepreneurship academy program. An integral component of this successful
program is building
partnerships with the business community/advisory board. This collaborative
effort provides
students with professional seminars, career shadowing, mentoring, and
an executive internship
program.
The Academy of Entrepreneurship at Buchholz High School is part of
a tech-prep program in
cooperation with Santa Fe Community College and the Alachua County School
Board. The
academy offers a series of three-year-long courses for students in grades
10–12. For those who
complete the program and maintain the required grade point average,
the Florida Department of
Education provides the Gold Seal Award, a renewable scholarship of up
to $2,000 that can be
used for their education at any postsecondary institution in Florida.
Dianne Lauramore, the entrepreneurship instructor, created the program
six years ago, as an
outgrowth of the business management and law course she had previously
taught in the business
and marketing program. The academy concept was designed to encourage
a specialization for
those students who envision themselves as entrepreneurs someday.
The Academy of Entrepreneurship is a magnet school that started in
September 1995.
Participation in the academy is open to any student in the county. In
addition to the
entrepreneurship courses, students also take other academic courses,
including math, English,
history, science, and other business courses. Tech Prep is a special
feature of the academy. As a
result of articulation agreements, upon completion of the entrepreneurship
courses students can
transfer up to nine credits at Santa Fe Community College.
In 1995, the Alachua County Tech Prep Consortium was selected by the
U.S.Department of
Education as a model tech-prep site for exhibition, received the American
Association of
Community College's Parnell Award of Excellence in Tech Prep Education,
and was designated as
a mentor to other Florida Tech Prep consortia. The Entrepreneurship
Academy is one of seven
model programs that make Alachua County's Tech Prep Consortium a winner.
This model program that started through the vision of an excellent
teacher is a winner. It
demonstrates how collaboration between educational institutions, and
the desire to make learning
fun and rewarding, can offer enterprising students the opportunities
to learn about business and create their own futures.
Homer K. Addair Career Academy
Rita Jarrett
Homer K. Addair Career Academy
925 North Buena Vista Blvd.
Lake Alfred, FL 33850
863-295-5988
Fax: 863-295-5959
Web site: www.seniorsuccess.com
Focus: Economically disadvantaged students who are not successful in the traditional school setting.
Geographic Area: Florida
Age Level: Adults
Abstract: WWW.seniorsuccess.com works to show students how to succeed
in the world of work by becoming competent communicators throughout the community.
Senior Success (dot) COM = COMpetency, COMmunity, COMmunication.
This project incorporates a combination of 70 students, parents and staff,
in addition to numerous business partners. The objectives are outlined in
four areas.
- Provide the opportunity for seniors to complete all academic requirements necessary for graduation.
- Provide the opportunity for seniors to master communication in all areas of life through various partnerships.
- Provide a year long, intensive, concentrated focus on every aspect of employability skills through various projects.
- Provide the opportunity for our seniors to become curious enough
to ask questions, in order to find answers, using many available resources,
with self-determination and constancy through various information.
Miami Dade College, North Campus
Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship Program
Cindy Thienard, Program Coordinator
Carrie P. Meek Entrepreneurial Education Center
6300 NW 7th Avenue
Miami, FL 33150
305- 237-1901
Fax: (305) 237-1908
Email: cthienar@mdc.edu
Web site: www.mdc.edu
Focus: High school students
Abstract: The Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship (IYE), an innovative business
skills development program, targets high school students who reside in
Liberty City and its surrounding communities. The program aims to build
community capacity by providing business skills training to inner city youth
who have had little or no exposure to entrepreneurship education. The IYE
places a premium on the comprehensive personal, social, cultural and moral
development of youth. While building the requisite personal efficacy,
self-confidence, and the knowledge and skills to be successful
entrepreneurs, youth will gain critical exposures and orientation to
important issues in the world of business.
The primary goal of the IYE is to expose and empower participating youth
with the life skills needed for entrepreneurship and leadership. It is
anticipated that a sizable percentage of the participants of this program
will continue with some form of business activity, individual businesses or
team business efforts after they complete the program. The program will also
encourage youth to continue their education to support a business career. In
addition, all graduates can be expected to benefit in other important and
quantifiable ways, including expanded knowledge, improved attitude, business
skills and leadership capacity. More importantly, they gain valuable work
readiness skills that lead up to becoming an effective corporate leader or
entrepreneur.
The program consists of three components:
- Phase I
Academy of Future Entrepreneurs
NFTE - Entrepreneurship Training
- Phase II
Spring Break Business Plan Camp
- Phase III
Summer Entrepreneurship Experience
As the program coordinator, I am responsible for planning all major
activities and events for the IYE Program. I also assist in managing all
grants issued to the program.
Northeast High School, Oakland Park—IBE Program Start-up
Diane Alford, Instructor
Vivian Steele, Instructor
Northeast High School
700 NE 56th St.
Oakland Park, FL 33334
954-928-1536
Fax: 902-424-0260
Focus: High school, school-wide program
Abstract: Our program for IBE start-up is composed of three
pieces: "Planning and More
Planning," "Promotion and Publicity," and "Pitfalls."
A brief description of each follows. The first
and most important component is planning. Plan to invest a tremendous
amount of time
beforehand! We outlined and defined our program goals very early. Our
initial concern was to
personalize IBE for our school and our vision. As a result, we expanded
the IBE courses to
include an American history IBE course for program juniors. Next, we
identified sophomores who
might be likely IBE candidates and added a Pre-IBE designation to two
business computer classes
and a world history class for these students.
The second element for our start-up is "Promote and Publicize."
Experience taught us the value of
being highly visible. We developed our high profile not only within
our school setting, but also in
the community. Our Pre-IBE and IBE classes are hosting an annual career
fair involving more than
50 local businesses with our partner in education, the Fort Lauderdale
Chamber of Commerce.
"Pitfalls: Look out for these . . ." is the final piece.
Deadlines happen! We created a series of
prominent classroom displays including calendars, lists, and—most effective
of all—a chart for
tracking student performance. It's amazing what our students will do
to earn their horseshoes and
avoid bumblebees!
For further information, see Nova Southeastern University, Enterprise
Ambassador USA.
University of West Florida—Youth Offender Demonstration Project
Nancy Kelson, Project Coordinator
Youth Offender Demonstration Project
Building Success/ Office of Juvenile Studies
University of West Florida, FL
850-474-2072
Fax 850-474-2777
Email: advanced@uwf.edu
Focus: At-risk youth with delinquent or gang histories.
Geographic Area: The counties of Escambia and Santa Rosa, Florida, and
Service Delivery Area Region 1
Age Level: 14–24 years of age
Key Partners: The University of West Florida, College of Education,
and Office of Juvenile
Studies; funded by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Abstract: Building Success will serve the counties of Escambia
and Santa Rosa. Florida Service
Delivery Area Region 1, Escarosa Regional Workforce Development
Board, Inc.,
represents this area. Building Success is designed to complement an
established innovative national
demonstration model that provides aftercare services for juvenile offenders
who are returning to
the community from residential juvenile justice commitment. The Advanced
Aftercare program is
administered by the University of West Florida, College of Education,
and Office of Juvenile
Studies, and funded by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
This project targets juvenile offenders who are returning to high-risk
gang environments. Services
are specifically tailored to overcome employment barriers in economically
disadvantaged
communities. Youths will receive two phases of skill development transferable
to a wide range of
occupations in the building trades, including services maintenance and
related manufacturing.
The first phase of Building Success will provide youthful offenders
with a full range of
school-to-career planning, employability training, entrepreneurship
education training, and
pre-apprenticeship job coach assistance. Delivery of these services
is provided by the project
coordinator with the assistance of part-time job developers/coaches
who are advanced university
students engaged in integrating their duties with academic studies.
Both in-school and
out-of-school youthful offenders receive a form of pre-apprenticeship
training conducted in the
vocational shop located on the University of West Florida campus.
A total of 45 youths per year receive first-phase services. This is
structured into three time periods,
each four months in duration. Youths will be recruited in teams of 15
per time period. The majority
of team activities will take place at the vocational shop located on
the University of West Florida
campus. A vocational aftercare teacher/counselor will instruct youths
in the safe operation of
equipment and guide teams in various entrepreneurship construction activities.
The shop is open
three days per week, from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Job developers/coaches assist youths with transportation needs and guide
youths on various
entrepreneurship education projects, as well as mentor them on non-shop
days. Youths are guided
in the planning, design, final assembly, and distribution of products.
Profits from the sale of these
products are shared in an equitable manner among the team members. Where
appropriate, funds
will be earmarked to comply with court-ordered restitution. Additional
first-phase services include
enhanced access to long-term education and training opportunities facilitated
through the local
school-to-work initiatives in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties.
Second-phase services are individualized and target job placement
and job coach assistance in
two forms, in-school and out-of-school.