Entrepreneurship Everywhere
Sample Entrepreneurship Education
Programs in the United States
NEBRASKA
Boone Central High School
Kathleen M. Gladem
Entrepreneur/Business/Computer Teacher
Boone Central High School
RR 1 Box 72
Petersburg, NE 68652
402-386-5660
E-mail: kgladem@esu7.org
Geographic Area: Nebraska
Age Level: Grades 10-12, girls & boys.
Abstract: This is designed to be a two-year program. An old theater
was purchased and renovated. The students raised $54,000 and have really
been involved in this renovation project. Now that the theater will open
May 23rd we have to start the operation part of the project. The students
have learned about opening a business from the very beginning. They have
had to go through the legal work of purchasing a building. There is a board,
bank accounts, been involved with lawyers, applied for non-profit status,
applied for tax number raised money, taken out a loan, worked with vendors
and other sales people to order equipment and products. This has been a
great learning experience for the 9 students we had in class this year.
There will be 20 in the class next year
Boone Central High School
Lisa Carder, Teacher
Entrepreneurship Education Through the Gateway Theater
Boone Central High School
PO Box 391, 605 S 6th
Albion, NE 68620
Phone / Fax: (402) 395-2134
FAX (402) 395-2137
E-mail: lcarder@esu7.org
Focus: This project addressed equity issues by providing equal opportunities to all students.
Geographic Area: Nebraska
Age Level: 10-12 grades.
Abstract: In the Entrepreneurship course, students developed business/career
skills and were able to apply them to a real-life situation. Students worked
with the Albion City Council, the Albion Development Company, and many community
leaders. Students were recognized by the Albion Chamber of Commerce with
the Youth Involvement Award at the 2002 Presidential Banquet. Students also
presented at the UNO Social Studies Conference and were participants in a
rural economic forum on NETV.
Students kept track of over $52,000 in contributions from over 250 donors.
Students also kept an automated checkbook to record payments of expenses
for the project. The entrepreneurship class formed a non-profit 509(a)(3)
organization named the Gateway Youth Foundation. The Foundation purchased
the theater on January 18, 2002, for $35,000. After purchasing the theater,
the group had monthly water, gas, electricity, and sanitation bills to pay.
Many expenses were incurred during the renovation process, which had to be
accounted for and paid.
Computers were used to create a database of alumni from Albion High School.
Over 2,000 postcards sent to alumni seeking donations to the project. Utilizing
the mail merge capabilities of the software, financial statements were sent
to donors of over $250 at the end of 2001. The computers were also used to
create PowerPoint presentations, which were presented throughout the year
at many community organizations. Thank you notes were created, as well as
various posters, digital images, etc.
Students will be managing the business in the upcoming school year. They
will be in charge of managing the theater, organizing volunteers to operate
the concession stand and the ticket booth, to create all advertising, maintenance
of the building, selection of movies, etc.
Crawford Public School Entrepreneurship in Consumer Sciences
Patricia Jones, Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher
Crawford Public School
908 5th Street
Crawford, NE, 69339
308-665-1531,
Fax 308-665-1909,
Email: pjones@cpsrams.org
Focus: Consumer education
Age Level: High school students
Abstract: The students served in this program are students who
need skills to survive in a small
town with a lot to offer travelers and vacationers. This is a great
location for these students to set
up a thriving business of their own when they graduate from school.
The students businesses would
help the community grow and thrive.
The program is designed to help students reach their fullest potential
through class instruction and
hands-on training. This is a new program for this school. During class
instruction students become
aware of their skills and what their skills can do for them, and their
community. The students are
also able to look at different areas where they could put their skills
to work. When the students are
involved in the hands-on training, they are developing knowledge of
the actual work, safety
practices, the decision-making process, and the responsibilities that
are involved.
The unique feature of this program is that students are strongly encouraged
to be entrepreneurs.
The students develop promising ideas of an entrepreneurial business
and research what is needed
to get their business up and running. Eventually, the class will be
able to set up their own business
as a class project to help enhance the ability for them to start their
own business.
University of Nebraska - Lincoln Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship
Traditional/Nontraditional Programs in Entrepreneurship
Dixie Doughty, Coordinator
Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
CBA 209
Lincoln, NE 68588-0487
402-472-3353
Email: ddoughty@unl.edu
Focus: A University of NebraskaLincoln entrepreneurship center
that offers traditional
programs at all levels, including undergraduate- and graduate-level courses
in entrepreneurship.
Nontraditional programs include Kids Invent Toys, a 5-day camp for children
ages 912;
Entrepreneurs of the Future Camp, a program for senior high school students
who own/operate
their own businesses in high school; Young Entrepreneurship Contest,
a program for senior high
school students in Nebraska who own/operate their own businesses to
submit applications for
scholarships into our program; Young Entrepreneurship Seminars entrepreneurial
assemblies for
high schools; the Kauffman Entrepreneurial Internship Program; the
Pan Pacific Study Tour,
where students receive up to 6 credit hours for travelling overseas
on a 3-week study tour
researching entrepreneurship in foreign countries; and college/university
entrepreneurship SIFE
projects (of which UN-L Center for Entrepreneurship has 23 entrepreneurial
SIFE projects).
Geographic Area: Local, national, and international outreach
Products and Services: Management 121 Introduction to Entrepreneurial
Management;
Management 398 International Study; Management 399A/996A Independent
Study in
Entrepreneurial Management; Management 399B/996B Independent Study Screening
Entrepreneurial Opportunities; Management 399D/996D Independent Study
Financing
Entrepreneurial Venture; Management 421/821 and 421C/821C Entrepreneurhsip
and Venture
Management; Management 422/822 Small Business Management; Management
423/823
Franchise Management; Management 996 Graduate and Field Research in
Entrepreneurship;
Internships; Entrepreneurs of the Future Camp; Young Entrepreneurship
Contest;Young
Entrepreneurship Seminars; SIFE; Global Conference on Entrepreneurship;
Annual Conference on
Entrepreneurship; International Business Plan Competition; Productivity
Improvement
Competition; Pan Pacific Study Tour; Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization;
etc.
Age Level: Grades 48, junior and senior high school, and college
level
Key Partners: UNL Management Dept; UNL College of Business;
Director NE Center for
Entrepreneurship; NE State Department of Marketing Education; Pella Corporation;
Allen Dayton
Enterprises; Pro-Model Corp.; Walmart; National SIFE Organization; Global
SIFE Dr. Robin
Anderson; Toys R Us; Kauffman Foundation; REAP (Rural Enterprise Association
Program); and
board of directors representing over 50 local entrepreneurial businesses.
Abstract: The Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship at University
of NebraskaLincoln
has begun new projects in entrepreneurship for all age groups. We can
describe all program
offerings; funding for these projects; the added value of each program,
and results thereof,
including why Success magazine named UNL-CBA one of the 25 best business
schools for
entrepreneurs in the United States.
Wakefield Community Schools
Jennifer L. Goos, Business Education Teacher
K-12 School to Career Coordinator
Wakefield Community Schools
PO Box 330,
Wakefield, NE 68784
402-287-2012
Fax: 402-287-2014
Email: jgoos@priam.wake.esul.org
Focus: High school entrepreneurship course
Age level: Grades 912 (Caucasian, Hispanic, and Native American)
Abstract: Wakefield School 912 Entrepreneurship Class is a
year long course that uses the REAL curriculum as a basis for instruction.
Students operate a school-based enterprise, and write individual personal
business plans for businesses that have a niche in our small, rural
community.
Students evaluate the original business plan for the school
store before its yearly opening, and then totally operate the store.
Students do all the marketing, keep spreadsheet inventory, track financial
records with Quicken, order and maintain inventory, and work in the
store. Students completely run the business.
Individual business plans are presented yearly to a community support
team and entered into business competitions. Each year the city recognizes
and awards "The Entrepreneur of the Year."
NEVADA
Sierra Nevada College
Peter H. Hackbert
Harold Walter Siebens Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship
Sierra Nevada College
999 Tahoe Blvd,
Incline Village, NV 89450
775-831-1314 Ext: 4035
Email: phackbert@sierranevada.edu
Web site: www.peterhackbert.com
Focus: Teaching-learning and training technique applied in high school, community college, undergraduate and graduate courses for business administration majors, entrepreneurial majors and for liberal arts undergraduates with interests in entrepreneurship. As a modified version of the "one pager"
Geographic Area: Nevada
Abstract: The business plan and business plan presentations are key tools, used in advancing the spirit of entrepreneurship in the public education arena, the collegiate environment and by practicing entrepreneurs. We use a teaching-learning and training technique applied in high school, community college, undergraduate and graduate courses for business administration majors, entrepreneurial majors and for liberal arts undergraduates with interests in entrepreneurship. As a modified version of the "one pager" new venture summary plan submitted by entrepreneurs to angel investors and at venture capital funding source presentations, this technique shows students and their trainers how to answer five critical questions asked of all new ventures: What are you building? Why does this business exist? How will you build the business? What is the work to be done? What results will you measure?
The OPBP is a very simple, versatile, consistent, flexible tool and can be used for a variety of purposes. There is no room for fluff or filler. The use of key words and short phrases tells the reader or audience that only the essence is being presented for review. The fact that the business model is only one page communicates that the investment in reading and listening is limited. The OPBP can be used by students to develop a plan for a small company, or as a summarization of a traditional business plan. The OPBP purposes extend to profit centers, departments, program or projects. As a document that summarizes the ideas for a new business, the OPBP is also a presentation tool or a personal or professional planning device.
At Sierra Nevada College, we have adopted this technique in entrepreneurship courses taught across the curriculum to liberal arts students. This past fall a team of eight students and the professor conducted a workshop at the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization Conference (CEO) to a standing room only crowd. At the 2003 USASBE Annual Conference, Peter H. Hackbert won the "best teaching practices award" completing with against eight other entrepreneurial educators demonstrating this technique.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network
Gregg Fairbrothers, Director
Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network
Dartmouth College
Provost's Office
Hanover, NH 03755
603-646-0290
Email: gregg.fairbrothers@dartmouth.edu
Since our founding in April, 2001, The Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network has worked with a variety of business teams at all stages of development, helping them with:
· - idea generation and validation
·
- building a business plan
·
- team building
·
- market research and validation
·
- incorporation, including structure & governance issues
·
- preparation and positioning for a search for funding
·
- space and office infrastructure
·
- opening access to funding sources
·
- negotiations, agreements, and closing
·
- implementation of the first stages of sales and marketing
·
- coaching on management and organizational behavior issues
Social Entrepreneurship:An Introduction
There is growing awareness and interest among many non-profit organizations (NPO) in entrepreneurship. This interest can generally be placed in two spheres: 1) business activity by non-profits, and 2) entrepreneurial leadership of non-profits organizations.
Although business activity by non-profits might seem like a contradiction of purposes, there are many non-profits with decades of business experience in service to their social mission. Examples include the Girl Scouts (cookies), art museums (gift shops), and membership organizations (National Geographic). Other non-profits provide business services, including public television stations (production and post-production facilities) and health organizations (drug and alcohol counseling). Other examples of business activity conducted by non-profits include investments (real estate, stocks) and licensing (trademarks).
The influence of venture philanthropy has helped to increase interest in the management of non-profits. First, there has been significant growth in the number of startup non-profits during the last ten years, and like the for-profit startup sector, NPO startups depend significantly on the execution capabilities of its founders and initial management. Second, as venture philanthropists consider philanthropic investments (or gifts) in established non-profits, there is an awareness that human capital is one of the most serious capacity-building needs in these NPOs. Finally, some non-profits address large, complex and sophisticated issues (e.g., public school reform). Individuals with entrepreneurial training and experience - who, in effect, know how to act without having all of the necessary resources under their control -- bring significant assets to these challenging initiatives.
The Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network, in conjunction with the Office of Venture Initiatives, is committed to encouraging social entrepreneurship in the Dartmouth community. As part of these efforts, Dartmouth alumni with entrepreneurial experience in non-profits have agreed to mentor and provide support to members of the Dartmouth community with interests in this arena.
Hugh J. Gallen Vocational Center
Lynn Davis, E-commerce Instructor
Hugh J. Gallen Vocational Center
105 School Street,
Littleton, NH 03561
603-444-3483
603-444-0664
E-mail: davis@ncia.net
Web site: pnycandy@ncia.net
Focus: Developing an e-commerce web site
Geographic Area: New Hampshire
Abstract: This program shows the participants what to do at both e-commerce businesses Chutter's Candy Connection and A Notch Above Candy Company and how to relate this information to their own programs.
Activities include:
- Registering the domain name - how to look up, do a Whois, and register a domain name
- How to organize the web files - discussion with PowerPoint.
- Creating an e-commerce flow chart -
- Creating a storyboard from the flowchart - PowerPoint discussion that talks about the use of color, image sizes, download times.
- Color - palettes
- Images - dpi and sizes
- Page sizes - scroll size, download time, calculating page size
- E-Commerce Costs
- Web site addresses for "extra help"
- What to keep in mind - secured site and search engine placement
NEW JERSEY
Glassboro High School
Joyce D Calzonetti, Teacher/Coordinator
Marketing Education
Glassboro High School
Bowe Blvd.
Glassboro, NJ 08028
856-881-2200 x230
856-881-2201
Fax: 856-307-1189
Abstract: The Entrepreneurship/Marketing Education classes serve
a very diverse group of 11th and 12th grade students. They are exploring
the option of becoming entrepreneurs. As marketing students, they are
also at cooperative marketing jobs.
Entrepreneurship has always been a component of the Marketing Education
program at Glassboro HS. However, it has just recently become a separate
class. The program is active and hands-on. Students often work in teams
to create and present projects, teach topics from the text, research
ideas, and debate issues.
Partnering with local businesses, students shadow, interview, and report
on a local entrepreneur. Student critically review books and periodicals
related to entrepreneurship.
Their goal is to plant the seed, nurture it, and watch it grow. They
rely on outside resources (guest speakers, the chamber of commerce,
professional development seminars, and literature) to keep the instructor
abreast of changes and keep student interest level peaked. At the most,
the program aims to encourage future entrepreneurs to explore their
dreams; at the least, the program offers students firm foundational
skills in business, marketing, and consumerism, as well as workplace
readiness skills.
Granville Academy
Executive Director
Granville Academy
1300 Hamilton Ave, 2nd Floor
Trenton, NJ 08629
609-393-3229
Focus: After-school program for high school youths
Abstract: Granville Academy is an after-school program teaching
8th-to-12th-grade inner-city
youths about the business world. There are eight affiliates around the
country, each using the same
training curriculum. The affiliate sites are in Trenton, New Jersey;
Cleveland, Ohio; Waterbury
Connecticut; Tampa, Florida; North Carolina; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington,
D.C.; and
Fairfax and Arlington, Virginia.
Granville Academy was started in 1983 by businessman Bill Granville.
His mission is to prepare
inner-city youths for the economic mainstream so that they can work
with other youths to build
stronger communities. It is a five-year program, with students meeting
approximately once every
two weeks at business locations. Individuals in business serve as instructors.
In the beginning of the
program, students are introduced to the world of work; later they find
jobs in order to apply what
they have learned in the classroom to real life. There are also annual
national meetings of all
participating youths.
Mercer County Community College
International Business Education
Dr. Thomas D. Sepe, President
Carol L. Weber, Professor
Mercer County Community College
1200 Old Trenton Road
Trenton, NJ 08690
401-825-2188
Email: Tsepe@ccri.cc.ri.us
Focus: Community college
Abstract: In a busy office, a sales manager negotiates price
and delivery with a Danish counterpart using e-mail and desktop interactive
video technology, while the sales team prepares a product presentation
for an Austrian firm. Corporate America? No. These business students
at Mercer County Community College are learning to conduct business
through the International Business Practice Firm (IBPF). As the first
community college to develop an IBPF, Mercer employs a combination of
powerful instructional tools (technology, simulation, and internships)
to create a student-centered, team-operated learning laboratory.
Thomas D. Sepe has been the president of Mercer County Community College,
NJ for the past seven years. Sepe has led the development of increased
globalization of the college's programs and services, including international
partnerships and faculty and student exchanges in Russia, China, and the
EC. He has been the leader in the development of the International Business
Practice Firm concept and its national dissemination.
Carol L. Weber has been on the faculty of Mercer County Community College,
teaching myriad courses in the business division, for the past 13
years. Most recently, she has been the lead instructor in the development
and implementation of the International Business Practice Firm. In addition
to providing the foundation for the curriculum, Weber has
been responsible for the academic program for all exchange students
involved in this program.
Rutgers University, Youth Farmstand Project
Michelle Wilson, Project Coordinator
New Jersey Urban Ecology Program
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Cook College
Thompson Hall, Rutgers University
96 Lipman Drive
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-6837
732-932-1688
Fax: 732-932-6837
Focus: At-risk youth
Abstract: The Youth Farmstand Project provides at-risk youth
with job training and
entrepreneurial experience. It was founded in 1994 by staff at Cook
College and Rutgers University,
and is operated by the New Jersey Urban Ecology Project. The project
offers youths a paying
summer job, as well as 50 hours of pre-season education and training
in the classroom and on-site.
It also provides inner city communities with access to fresh, affordable,
and nutritious locally grown
produce.
One objective of the project is to develop a core group of successful
student entrepreneurs to
serve as a model for their community, showing that education and employment
are viable alternatives to drugs and other destructive behavior.
South Camden Alternative School - The Entrepreneur Program
Mr. Graves, Instructional Technology Teacher
Mr. James Henderson - Principal
Mrs. Barbara Guyton -Head Teacher
South Camden Alternative School
555 Mt. Vernon Street
Camden, NJ 08103
Email: dgraves@cccsch.k12.nj.us
Focus: Entrepreneurship program for at-risk youth
Abstract: The Entrepreneur Program is an experience-based program for teaching youths about entrepreneurship. The programs goals are to :
- PROVIDE YOUTH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP
THROUGH CLASSROOM AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES.
- TEACH YOUTHS THE BASIC SKILLS REQUIRED OF ENTREPRENEURS.
- HELP YOUTH UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACADEMIC
SUBJECTS AND THE PRACTICAL "WORLD OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP."
Our mission at South Camden Alternative School is to prepare our students to become effective lifelong learners as well as independent and productive citizens in society.
We will strive to accomplish this by developing a meaningful and challenging curriculum for all students. Through parental and community involvement, the integration of technology and implementation of effective teaching techniques, we will provide each student the chance to develop to their fullest potential.
The South Camden Alternative School program is designed to help students that have behavioral and academic problems. We have a staff that consists of 8 teachers (5 Special Needs Teachers and 3 Regular Education Teachers) a full time in-house Child Study Team, a Guidance Counselor, a Social Worker and a Pupil Assistance Committee (PAC).
Washington Township High School
Patricia Phillips, Entrepreneurship Teacher, School-to-Career Coordinator
Washington Township High School
529 Hurffville Cross-Keys Rd
Sewell, NJ 08080
856-589-8500 Ext 7036
Email: Pphillips@WTPS.org
Focus: Full-year elective course for 60+ senior students
Abstract: The entrepreneurship program is now in its fifth year.
The course is an elective open to any senior who is interested in starting
their own business. Students are primarily suburban, middle-classin close
proximity to Philadelphia and Atlantic City. It started with one class
of 20 students and has now tripled to over 60. Some aspects of the course
are: operation and management of the school store; a mandatory mentoring
activity with small business owners from the Washington Township Chamber
of Commerce; and membership in the DECA organization.
The most unique feature is the involvement from the Washington Township
Chamber of Commerce. The organization has started its own School-to-Career
Committee chaired by the vice president, Dave Maxwell. The businesspeople
volunteer 12 hours of their time to work with students who are interested
in their career. The entrepreneurship students also attend a chamber
luncheon/meeting. The mentors pay for their students' lunches. It allows
the students to see firsthand the networking and social aspects of
the chamber. The chamber members also act as guest speakers.
NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque Public Schools - Resource Center
Jigsaw . . . Putting the Pieces Together
Sheryl Williams, Occupational Education/School-to-Careers Representative
Albuquerque Public SchoolsResource Center
220 Monroe SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108-2811
505-256-4229
Fax: 505-256-4416
Focus: Senior high school and all School-to-Careers participants
Abstract: In the Albuquerque public schools there are several
truly exemplary entrepreneurial
programs associated with the DECA Vocational Student Organizations.
Additionally, the
School-to-Careers Department has greatly advanced the causes of work-based
experiences in a
school setting, and academic subjects taught in the context of work.
What has been noted is that
these entrepreneurial programs and academic studies are not integrated.
In fact, the integration of
these subjects is rare throughout the country.
Therefore, in 19981999 it was established that an entrepreneurship
program in Albuquerque
public schools will serve as both pilot and model for this implementation.
The Applied Academic
classes, which teach the skills needed to succeed in work, postsecondary
school, and life; the
school-based Occupational Education teaching in the area of Entrepreneurship;
and the
Entrepreneurial DECA VSO activities, which offer on-the-job training
experiences, will be planned
for implementation in 19992000. The combination of these three
areas would result in an
innovative program rarely available in the nation.
Such a program would effectively demonstrate the achievement of School-to-Work
goals through
a truly comprehensive system of education. It would support many of
the state and national goals,
especially the New Mexico State Board of Education's adoption of the
defined Career Readiness
skills. This integrated entrepreneurship program will meet established
competencies, discuss
delivery systems, share these within the district, and establish new
agreements with post-secondary
schools from around the state.
This program demonstrates the concepts and benefits of integrated
academic and
occupational education; what an integrated entrepreneurship program
might look like; and what
some of the problems/roadblocks that the initiative has encountered
are. It also demonstrates the
vision that this initiative will build on leadership skills of VSO participants
and re-defines academic
strategies, and achieves both without "re-inventing the wheel."
Animas High School
Jacque F Davenport, Social Studies Teacher
Animas High School
P O Box 85
Animas, NM 88020
505-548-2296
Fax: 505-548-2649
Email: Jacque@mailman.animas.k12.nm.us
Web site: www.mailman.animas.k12.nm.us
Focus: Integration of entrepreneurship in a high school social studies course
Abstract: Students in history, law, government and economics create a business plan for a business they dream up, checking out financing, location, etc. Some have even created business cards, brochures, and menus depending on the type of business they want to start. Area business people, sole proprietors and partnerships, come in to toak to studentas. Students do personal budgets as well as budget simulations for families.
Students like the hands on approach, limited only by their own creativity. It encourages them to take risks and to eventually weigh the advantages and disadvantages of owning your own business in the pursuit of the American Dream.
Bernalillo High School
Budding Entrepreneurs
Spankie Lou Bassett, Culinary Arts Teacher
Bernalillo High School
250 Isidro Sanchez Road
Bernalillo, NM 87004
505-867-2388, Ext. 306
Fax: 505-867-7826
Email: wsbassett@msn.com
Focus: Senior high school, with a concurrent enrollment to a
community college
Abstract: The Campus Café is a part of the Bernalillo
High School Career Academy. The
program began in 1994 with ten students enrolled in an advanced food
service course. The
program currently serves 110 students or more per year. The students
at Bernalillo have designed
a café that operates for breakfast and lunch and serves students
and faculty. Their primary source
of income is from the catering portion of their program. They cater
to the school and community
for a variety of events. Catered events have ranged from lunch for 20
adults to the district
back-to-school event for 500 people.
The business began as a "typical" Home Economics Foods classroom.
As the Bernalillo
School-to-Work program began to change the way it does business, so
did this program. Spankie
Lou Bassett and the students designed the business after completing
market research and working
with the school community. The philosophy statement: the Campus Café
is open to provide a
variety of foods to students and staff at Bernalillo High School. The
café will also provide the
following learning experiences for student personnel:
- Work experience in the food-service area
- Team-building skills
- Cooperation and responsibility
- Respect
- Money management
- Customer service
- Fun!
When the students and Mrs. Bassett were given the opportunity to update
their "avocado green"
kitchens to a new Culinary Arts program, they traveled the state looking
at vocational schools and
restaurants. Their new facility is a change in the way high school career
and technical courses are
taught. They have a lab, café, computer lab, and professional
cooking equipment to help their
business succeed and give them the professional skills needed to compete
in the culinary world.
The curriculum has expanded to include Food Service I, Food Service
II, Catering, and
Professional Baking. In the spring of 1999, the students also opened
the Campus Bakery, offering
fresh-baked goods once a week to the community.
Center for Entrepreneurship, Albuquerque
Mary Henry, President/CEO
Center for Entrepreneurship and the
New Mexico Council for Economic Education
1009 Bradbury Dr. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106-4302
505-272-7677
Fax: 505-843-8223
Focus: Community-based entrepreneurship education
Geographic Area: New Mexico area
Age Level: Adults and university students
Key Partners: Coleman Foundation
Abstract: The Center for Entrepreneurship is a new nonprofit
organization in Albuquerque, New
Mexico. The program had its genesis in the School of Management at the
University of New
Mexico as an entrepreneurial-studies concentration; then in 1992, it expanded
its activities to include
community-based entrepreneurship education.
The center is now an independent organization and maintains a relationship
with university students
enrolled in the entrepreneurial studies program. It focuses educational
activities on students and
young entrepreneurs, teachers (both primary and secondary), and practitioners
or potential
entrepreneurs. Due to its location in a multicultural region, the center
serves a diverse population,
including Native American, Latino, and Anglo youths.
Grants High School Pirate's Treasure
Mary Fugate, Teacher
Grants High School
Pirate's Treasure 2000: A Multimedia CD-ROM Yearbook
P.O. Box 8, 500 Mountain Road
Grants, NM 87020
505-285-2651
Fax: 505-287-3126
Focus: High school students
Abstract: Students served are Hispanic, Anglo, Native American,
economically and academically
handicapped, and/or those who really want to own their own businesses.
Implementation of a
school-based business in the entrepreneurship class provides practical
"real-world" experience for
students. The class will produce a CD-ROM Multimedia Yearbook for sale
to other students and
interested community members during the 19992000 school year.
Other classes (Computer Graphics, Computer Accounting, and Leadership) are aiding with
the project. An expansion of the
project to include community events, weddings, or other activities and the duplicatation and sale of the CDs is also being considered.
From researching companies on the internet, students have already begun
to learn the value of the
commercial information available for their business plans. Surveys prepared,
distributed, and
retrieved by the students are providing data for analysis in advertising,
pricing, and timeline
decision making.
Students are divided into departments, with a management team leading
each 9-week period.
Students are the production team as well as the sales force and the
accounting department. They
must take pictures and videos to integrate them into an organized multimedia
publication. They
write the copy for each page and choose the layouts. All forms, from
receipts to surveys, must be
designed by the student. Each student keeps his/her own separate business
plan along with the
class business plan.
The risk of business ownership, management of employee (other students),
and communication
skills are all presented to students through the CD Yearbook. Also,
legal and ethical
considerations must be set. The excitement has grown steadily since
the first day of school.
Problems have arisen and been faced with solutions generated by the
students.
The regular yearbook staff has been concerned about the effect the
CD Yearbook will have on
their sales. According to our surveys, most students will opt to purchase
both or just the regular
yearbook. A sense of sympathetic cooperation is developing toward the
regular yearbook staff.
CD-ROM yearbook staff are accepting a "soft-sell" approach
in order to not alienate any
potential customers.
Hoftacket Mid High, Deming Public Schools
Business Education
Dee Dee Baker, Business Teacher
Hoftacket Mid High
Deming Public Schools
1400 S Iron
Deming NM 88030
505-546-4863,
Fax 505-544-7217
Email: deedee.baker@dps.k12.nm.us
Focus: School Store for business education
Abstract: The business skills class has a school supply store that the students operate selling pencils, pens, paper, notebooks, locker items, T-shirts plus many more items. We began by receiving a grant of $1,000. Students get hands-on experience in operating a business.
This was the first school store within our district and now the most successful. Last year we were able to fund our field trips and donate an electronic sign to our school with our profits.
Las Cruces Public Schools
Candice McDonald
Career Education Coordinator,
Las Cruces Public Schools,
505 S. Main, Suite 249,
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001
505-527-6050
Email: cmcdonal@lcps.k12.nm.us
Web site: http://www.lcps.k12.nm.us
Focus: EYE program is to introduce youth to the concept of entrepreneurship in order to help them start their own businesses.
Geographic Area: New Mexico
Age Level: K-12
Abstract: The EYE program is the first steps we have taken in helping build a K - 12 entrepreneurship programs. High school students are trained to think like entrepreneurs; they write their own business plans and apply for small business loans from our 501c3 - Employers to Educators. Upon acceptance of the loan, students start up their small businesses. Students are matched with mentors from the business community and also meet with the after-school class to discuss and reflect on their experiences in the world of small business.
Upon completion of the loan cycle, students may either repay their loan with interest or repay the loan by helping teach middle-schoolers about entrepreneurship. The middle-schoolers will then replicate the program and also have the opportunity to repay their loans by working with elementary students to teach them about entrepreneurship. Participants are self-selected students who express an interest in owning their own businesses.
Las Cruces High School
Lisa J Campbell, Teacher
Family & Consumer Science
Las Cruces High School
1755 El Paseo Rd.
Las Cruces NM 88005
505-527-9400
Fax 505-527-9767
Email: licamp2@cs.com
Focus: Family and Consumer Sciences offered to 60 students in grades 9 - 12.
Abstract: In a course called Exploring Careers, we teach students each semester about the workplace. They are required to start a business. They make products using simple items. The products must work and they must be able to determine costs. Students build the product or create a prototype. Students are then taught the process of developing a business plan, a budget, and a work-related manual.
Students are then required to present their product through a commercial using PowerPoint, videotape, and/or performing it. Students are required to post a job opening, interview others for the job opening, hold meetings, keep notes, create a logo, mission statement and demonstrate work ethics. Students must make a final presentation to the teacher and volunteers about what the experience has taught them.
Some of the unique features of the program are that it can all be done in class and students use their own creativity to come up with products. Students with disabilities can be included. The students have taken what they have done in class and started a small business. Students have also expressed through evaluation how they learned about teamwork, dealing with conflict and how hard it is to run a business. Students have also expressed the difficulty in finding good workers. Students also were able to see the interrelationship the core subjects have in the workplace, through activities on product development, marketing strategies, and cost analysis.
Las Cruces High School.
Ambrose's Cruces Cocina
Mary Ann Constantini
Kevin Marks
P.O. Box 30001
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001
505-527-9400
Focus: High school
Abstract: Come visit a student-operated business that trains
students in community-based
hospitality and tourism work situations. The Las Cruces program will
share curriculum/lesson plans
developed with a local gourmet restaurant and their hands-on accounting
training program
designed to help students learn all aspects of the industry.
Mary Ann Constantini is in charge of School-to-Work and accounting
programs at Las Cruces
High School.
Kevin Marks is an English teacher at Las Cruces High School and brings
practical restaurant
management experience and education to this integrated program.
LaJacarita Enterprise Community
Barbara Bustos, Co-Director, Youth Development
LaJacarita Enterprise Community
P O Box 777
Mora NM 87732
505-387-2293
Email: bbustos@nnmt.net
Focus: Minority students from economically disadvantaged high poverty areas
Abstract: Statistically, youth from the state of New Mexico are consistently ranked higher in relationship to children living in poverty, and other negative deficits. This then is obviously magnified in the tri-county area which we serve, which , because of these "deficits" has been federally designated as an enterprise community.
La Jicarita Enterprise Community, as a whole, is "set up" for socio-economic development and has 26 current, active "initiatives" of which youth development, encompasses three. One of the core areas in youth development is our entrepreneur program. We, as an organization, recognize that a formalized four year education is not for everyone, and that many of our students, upon high school graduation, will continue to reside in their respective communities. Geographically, two of three sites, are isolated in nature, with sole access by mountain pass.
For centuries, our community members have financially sustained themselves and their family members by being entrepreneurs. Conversely, then many of our youth will also continue to be entrepreneurs. During the summer we provide for those students from the enterprise community, an intensive week long, entrepreneur, leadership training camp. As an inkind contribution, each school district, in which we reside, provides a classroom for our staff, so that students have access to the LJEC counselor and vice-versa. During the regular school year, we provide via our entrepreneur counselors, ongoing support, training, and technical assistance for our young entrepreneurs. We use a medium of materials and curriculums, for example, BizWorld and KidsWay.
We have received national, state, and regional recognition for our work with student entrepreneurs. Our students have also received national, state, and regional recognition for their business endeavors. We are a community based organization, and we, as staff and management, have been able to see the fruits of our labor, in that our approach is intertwined in a full continuum with school, community, and business.
Magdalena High School
Magdalena Greenhouse Effect
Dana Barnett
Magdalena High School
P.O. Box 24
Magdalena, NM 87825
505-854-2241
Focus: Middle school/high schools
Abstract: One of New Mexico's newest, most exciting entrepreneurial
programs with teachers
who team up to present local cultural cuisine and hands-on training
to students studying in integrated programs that concurrently offer college credits.
You'll learn about the
successes of a small rural combined middle/high school.
Magdalena's greenhouse project is a true "community" effort
in which students participate in
growing plants/food; preserving and cooking their bounty; and keeping
accurate records and
implementing computerized accounting procedures to maintain a profit-making
business. The
Magdalena project especially addresses the unique training challenges
that small, rural school
programs face.
Mayfield High School
Professional Baking and Entrepreneurship
Deborah P. Mall, Teacher,
Professional Baking and Entrepreneurship
Mayfield High School
1955 N. Valley Dr.
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005
505-527-9415
Fax: 505- 527-9420
E-mail: dmall@lcps.k12.nm.us
Web Page: http://lcps.k12.nm.us
Focus: Professional Baking and Entrepreneurship
Types of Students Served: Mayfield High school is a comprehensive high school, 9th through 12th grade, offering academic and technical preparation for all students. Student enrollment on the 40th day of this year was 2,490, 59.2% Hispanic, 38.4% Anglo, 1.6% African American, 0.5% Asian, and 0.3% Native American. More than 85% of all grade levels passed to the next level, 31.2% of the students receive free/reduced meals, and approximately 20% receive special education services.
Abstract: The Program is for students in their Sophomore through senior years in high school, enrolled in Family and Consumer Science. Entitled "Professional Baking and Entrepreneurship", students must have a prerequisite course called Food Service. The class includes instructional hours of approximately 2.5 hrs. per week with 5 laboratory hours a week.
Course Objectives are:
- Students will utilize and manage resources effectively to produce quality services and products;
- Students will develop a working understanding of entrepreneurship principles;
- Students will develop effective leadership, interpersonal, and team skills.
- Students will demonstrate the technological knowledge and skills required for future careers.
Students will explore the business of professional baking and entrepreneurship. The class will focus on lab experiences in which industry-based baking principles and techniques are practiced and commercial
equipment is used. Production principles are learned through the Savory Fare, a student-managed catering and packaged goods business that performs community service and is part of the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) club.
Through a grant from the Dona Ana Workforce Action Council, The Savory Fare purchased an electronic cash register, professional baking equipment, and a convection oven. Through a Tech Prep grant, we have ordered more equipment including software and a triple sink. This class is part of the Pro-Start curriculum produced by the Hospitality Alliance and the National Restaurant Educational Foundation. Certification and articulation are also a part of the program's benefits to students. Paid internships with local employers and scholarships are also available.
The Trojan Starting Line, a coffee and baked goods business is run by the students and contributes to the community with both money and baked goods. Other businesses run by the students include popcorn, a spice company, gift baskets, vegetable and fruit trays, and biscochos (a local wedding cookie).
New Mexico State University,
Summer Pre-Business Introduction for
Navajo Students (SPINS)
Dr. Stu Devlin
New Mexico State University
P.O. Box 30001
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001
505-646-3243
Focus: Summer camp for Navajo youth
Abstract: SPINS was a summer camp program for Navajo youth that
ran continuously from
1987 to 1993, alternating between three universities in Arizona and
New Mexico as host sites.
The camp consisted of workshops in introductory accounting, management,
finance, marketing,
and business plan development, and visits to Native Americanowned and
operated businesses
in the region.
SPINS was founded by the Navajo Nation and nearby business schools
in an effort to provide
entrepreneurial training to talented Navajo youth the summer before
they entered college. The
program was initiated by the Navajo Nation when they realized that students
who earned
professional degrees were rarely able to return to the reservation because
there were few
employment opportunities in their specialized fields. The objective
of the program was to
encourage students to bring their expertise back to their community
and to start new businesses to
benefit Navajo communities.
Reaching High
Linda Placencio,
Marie Thompson,
Clo Rael, teachers, partners
Reaching High
80 Springcreek Rd.
Silver City, New Mexico 88061
505-538-9768
Email: mrsp@gilanet.com
Email: thompsonmsjl@gilanet.com
Email: clorael@yahoo.com
Focus: Program for elementary students
Geographic Area: New Mexico
Age Level: Elementary students
Key Partners: Local school systems
Abstract: Reaching High is a company built with a hands-on approach that meets state standards across the curriculum. It incorporates entrepreneurship with your existing studies as it builds self esteem and inspires creativity and ambition. The program involves the students in decision making as they experience the facets of owning and managing a small business. The students learn responsibility as they develop good communication skills, make sound business decisions, and become involved in a team approach to the world of work.
The students learn the meaning of the vocabulary used in business in a concrete, hands-on experience. They obtain seed money, take a product and market it, and become risk takers as they strive for a profit. This program is focused on turning fundraisers into entrepreneurship endeavors, teaching money in the classroom using real business practices, and directing a school store involving students from interviewing to hiring to receiving a real pay check. Reaching High involves elementary students in the rewards of hard work. The basic components can very easily be modified and applied to any level of instruction.
The owners have directed a school-based business with their students known as Budding Entrepreneurs. This business incorporated manufacturing, wholesale, and retail sales. They invested in the stock market to initiate an interest in how you can earn money in the stock market. They owned and operated a school store, hiring workers from the school community and became involved in being an entrepreneur.
Linda, Marie, and Clo each taught for 33 years, and recently retired. During their tenure, they won a 1st place award in 1973 from the New Mexico Research and Study Council for Budding Entrepreneurs. They have taken their students to share their expertise with their local school board, School to Work in Silver City and Santa Fe, and various audiences in Albuquerque. They conducted a weeklong entrepreneurship camp. Their students have participated in the first New Mexico Annual Entrepreneurship Fair and have competed in the Annual New Mexico Mousetrap Awards, winning a 1st place award. One of their students will be featured in a upcoming issue of "Highlights".
In 2001, they founded Reaching High to train educators and students in entrepreneurship education. They provide training in workshops and presentations to schools seeking a model.
Valley High SchoolAlbuquerque Public Schools
Entrepreneurship for Special Populations
Stacy Scott
Albuquerque Public Schools
Valley High School
1505 Candelana Rd., NW
Albuquerque, NM 87107
505-345-9021, Ext. 252
Focus: Art-based vocational training program that encourages
choice making and self-determination.
Geographic Area: Albuquerque Public Schools, the 27th-largest
school district in America, serving a student population of over 50,000.
Age Level: High school students age 14 to 22 years with cognitive
functioning in the 18-months-to-4-year-old range. Students are classified as multiply impaired
with an IQ range of under 40. In addition to having intellectual disabilities, the students
also have combinations of other disabilities, including microcephaly, seizure disorders, autism, cerebral palsy, and orthopedic and neurological impairments.
Key Partners: The program is funded by the public school system
and IDEA funds. Private,
for-profit businesses and service clubs are key partners that support
the program through
donations of gifts in-kind, equipment, money, and venues for displaying
and selling the products.
The local Civitan clubs lend great support and often organize donation
procedures. The Weems
Gallery and Framing Company donates booth space at its gallery and also
at its annual ArtFest, a
nationally juried art show.
Abstract: The premise of the program is that everyone can be
productive when given the
opportunity and support. It is vitally important that individuals be
allowed to self-determine and
choose their vocation. Art-based activities lead to self-determination
by providing opportunities for
participants to (1) express creativity, (2) communicate, (3) choose
activities and degree of
participation, and (4) succeed at their given task. Many individuals
with multiple impairments often
do not have opportunities for expression and communication. These persons
may stop trying to
communicate because non-disabled staff, peers, and caregivers lack time
or desire to listen or
interact. An art-based program is rich in avenues for exploring creativity,
self-discovery, and
communication.
The students in this program are non-traditional in the scope of a
vocational education program
because of their level of cognitive functioning and their need for support.
With environmental
modifications and other such support, these students can be highly successful
after graduation by
being placed in a sheltered setting or an enclave situation (a group
of two or more workers
performing a particular job).
Even the most severely impaired students can achieve success in this
program. A student who has
been blind from birth can successfully complete a project. First, she
chooses which art activity she
wants to do by using a tactile symbol board; i.e., the symbol for collage
is a piece of burlap and
fibers. Then she can make a color choice using tactile symbols; i.e.,
a lid to a jar represents
blue-it is a smooth, cool color. Fibers, beads, paper scraps, and other
pieces are already
color-sorted into boxes, so that each project will have a "flow."
The student then selects pieces
from the box. The work surface is raised about three inches off the
work table, and the base of the
collage is placed on this work surface. The student applies glue to
the entire base of the collage,
and then, with the assistance of a sighted staff person, places the
items on the collage base. When
the piece is finished, it is matted and framed.
Group projects stimulate communication and interaction. Students participate
in making homemade
recycled paper that a local nonprofit group uses for stationery. The
project is broken into several
tasks: shredding paper, measuring shredded paper and water, turning
on the blender, sifting pulp,
and so on until the project is completed. The group process allows each
student to be successful at
whatever task has been chosen. Team building, learning to take turns,
cooperation, and
communication are skills learned in the context of the art project.
Resulting Product: Matted and framed paintings, collages, pottery,
jewelry, candles, and
stationery are ready for sale through art shows, galleries, and a student-run
craft bazaar on
campus. Students in the program gain career-readiness skills for post-high
school job placements
by learning task analysis, choice making, team building, job completion,
attention to task, and pride
in achievements.
NEW YORK
Broome Community College
Excellence Center for Entrepreneurial
Leadership (ExCEL)
Sandra W. Balzhiser, ExCEL Grant Program Director
Broome Community College
907 Upper Front Street
Binghamton, New York 13901
607-778-5341
Fax: 607-778-5535
Email: balzhiser_s@sunybroome.edu
Web site: www.sunybroome.edu/~commed/excel/
Focus: Small business start-up entrepreneurs and existing business
owners.
Geographic Area: Southern Tier of New York State
Products and Services: Classroom training, business consultations,
resource library, publications
Age Level: Adults and teenagers
Key Partners: Broome Community College, Department of Labor,
Minority Women Business Enterprise, Small Business Development Center,
the Broome Chamber.
Abstract: The Excellence Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
(ExCEL) was established in 1993 through collaborative efforts of Broome
Community College Center for Community Education and an initiative with
Senator Thomas W. Libous. The goals of ExCEL are to provide resources,
referral, and education to facilitate the establishment, growth, and
success of small business in the Southern Tier. ExCEL assists both start-up
and established small businesses in being competitive: it develops and
provides relevant training, education, and networking opportunities and
is a clearinghouse for resources and services offered by other agencies.
Major Features of the ExCEL Program:
- Provides business training courses
- Publishes quarterly newsletter and small resource guide
- Maintains a resource library
- Offers business consultations and Web site consultations
- Develops standardized business-related curriculum in customer service,
sales/sales management, business start-up, and operating a business
- Facilitates monthly Entrepreneurial Society networking meeting
- Operates a summer entrepreneurial training program for teenagers.
ExCEL has been recognized for excellence in programming at the regional,
state, national, and international levels.
Canisius College Urban Entrepreneurship
Training Program: Linking Entrepreneurship
to Community Economic Development
Craig Rogers, Assistant Director and Adjunct Faculty (Economics)
The Center for Entrepreneurship
Canisius College
2001 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14208
716-888-2615
Fax: 716-888-2895
Email: crogers@acsu.buffalo.edu
Focus: The primary audience for the entrepreneurial training
program administered by the Urban Community Service Program is inner
city businesses located in Buffalo, New York, that have been in operation
a minimum of one (1) year and have a minimum of two (2) paid employees.
Abstract: The Urban Entrepreneurial Training Program is a component
of the Canisius College's Urban Community Service Program (UCSP) funded
by the United States Department of Education. UCSP is an applied research
initiative that involves conducting an empirical study of economic and
entrepreneurial activity of small urban businesses in the Ellicott,
Masten, and University districts of the city of Buffalo, New York. UCSP
is a three-year initiative with overarching goals: (1) develop a comprehensive
database of business and economic activity in the target area, (2) provide
entrepreneurial training to select urban businesses/entrepreneurs, and
(3) provide a framework for policy makers and economic development organizations
to strengthen their assistance and support of small urban businesses
and urban entrepreneurs.
The Urban Entrepreneurial Training Program (UETP), a 12-week program,
is designed to work with a select group of small businesses, providing
them with in-depth information to increase their productivity. The program
is developed around four key components: (1) program modules, (2) business
roundtables, (3) access to professional business consultants and (4)
a mentor initiative.
The aim of the training program is to increase
the productivity, profitability, and employment potential of small urban
businesses participating in UETP by providing entrepreneurs with tools
and techniques to help them (1) identify, locate, and evaluate business
information; (2) develop creative problem-solving skills; (3) develop
methods to deal with fear and ambiguity in a business environment; (4)
develop communication and interpersonal skills; and (5) assess their
skill level and ability to pursue entrepreneurial initiatives.
Center for Regional Excellence
Ceramics Corridor Cluster Project
Donald R. Rychnowski, Executive Director
Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board
4039 Route 219, Suite 200
Salamanca, NY 14779
716-945-5301
Fax: 716-945-5550
Email: rychnow@netsync.net
Web site: www.southerntierwest.org
Abstract: The overall project objective is to further develop
and galvanize the Southern Tier West region’s Ceramics Corridor so that
it has an atmosphere that nurtures entrepreneurship, innovation, and
the attraction/retention/expansion of ceramics, glass, and advanced
materials cluster firms, analogous to the Silicon Valley and the Golden
Triangle. The Ceramics Corridor is built on the presence in the Southern
Tier of the State University of New York College of Ceramics at Alfred
University, Corning Inc., Alfred Technology Resources, Inc. (ATRI),
and a cluster of firms operating in the geographic region.
This ARC entrepreneurship project has the following components:
- Development of an industry-driven, participatory industry trade
association for the Southern Tier West region
Through support to existing and new cluster businesses, the trade
association will promote the development of the cluster, and the development
of entrepreneurial opportunities therein. The trade association will
function to provide networking, support, and communication between
member firms.
- Assistance to specific components of the ATRI marketing initiative
The ATRI marketing initiative will improve the success of the Ceramics
Corridor Innovation Center (cluster-specific small business incubator)
program, ultimately leading to additional entrepreneurship in the
Southern Tier West region in the ceramics cluster. Project assistance
includes support for Web page design ( http://www.infoblvd.net/corridor/),
marketing video production, editorial content for print advertising,
and brochure development.
- Start-up of a Venture Development Corporation
The objectives of this component are the development of an umbrella
nonprofit Venture Development Corporation that owns and operates a
number of subsidiary venture corporations. The Venture Development
Corporation obtains advanced technologies through licenses, commercializes
these technologies through the development of actual subsidiary venture
companies, and then spins these venture companies off to the private
sector. The ownership structure of the young venture corporations varies
with each technology and the individual "deal." For example, the individual
young venture corporations can be wholly owned by the umbrella Venture
Development Corporation, joint ventures between the Venture Development
Corporation and firms in the ceramics industry, joint ventures between
the Venture Development Corporation and venture capitalists or venture
capital funds, joint ventures between the Venture Development Corporation
and individual entrepreneurs, etc. Thus, the program can be seen as
offering additional opportunities for entrepreneurs to become involved
in this cluster.
- Assistance to the Alfred University internship program
This component is an internship program at the College of Ceramics
and the College of Business at Alfred University targeting the Southern
Tier West region ceramics cluster firms. The project is intended to
lead to local employment opportunities for participating interns,
but perhaps more importantly, to show interns that there are in fact
entrepreneurial opportunities in the cluster in the Southern Tier
West region.
- Assistance to cluster businesses with respect to productivity
enhancement
This component subsidizes the participating cluster firm’s share
of accessing productivity consultants for the purpose of enhancing
productivity. Higher productivity means competitiveness, and as such
this component is an economic development program. Consulting services
are provided through the Western New York Technology Development Corporation.
This component also will reinforce the region’s cluster entrepreneurs
by providing access to skill sets that they otherwise might not have
in-house.
Note: The Southern Tier West region is part of the rural Appalachian
Region, located in the southwestern corner of New York State. Thus,
the project can be seen as a project to promote high-technology entrepreneurship
in a rural environment. The project involves partnerships between the
public-sector economic development community, the private-sector business
community, and the university community.
Cicero-North Syracuse High School
Linda Dwyer
Business Teacher/FBLA Co-Advisor
Cicero-North Syracuse High School
Route 31
Cicero, NY 13039
Phone / Fax: (315) 699-2611
E-mail: ldwyer@nscsd.k12.ny.us
Focus: Business Ownership/Entrepreneurship
Geographic Area: New York
Age Level: 10th-12th grade.
Abstract: Over the past six years, this program has been continually
developing curriculum for a Business Ownership course. This program has
received several mini-grants to enhance the curriculum and start a student-run-business.
Students operate "The Star Shop" by conducting market research, purchasing
inventory, creating advertising/marketing campaigns, maintaining financial
records, including a checking account, and preparing financial statements.
(All Star Shop profits are awarded to students in the form of college textbook
scholarships.) Students are also required to conduct research on starting
a new business and write a business plan.
This program has cultivated relationships with several local entrepreneurs
and business leaders. This program has integrated an in-house guest lecture
series, featuring local entrepreneurs and business leaders, into the course.
This year's lectures featured an owner of McDonalds and Ben and Jerry franchises,
the Vice President of the Syracuse Metropolitan Development Association,
and a Small Business Development Center counselor.
Through this department, students are offered membership in FBLA and
DECA clubs. As co-advisor of FBLA, this program worked with students to
prepare for the 2002 district, state, and national competition in Entrepreneurship.
The students took first place in the New York State Entrepreneurship event
in Rochester in April.
Corning Community College
Small Business Development Center
Bonnie Gestwicki, SBDC Director
Corning Community College
24 Denison Parkway West
Corning, NY 14830
607-962-9461
Fax: 607-936-6642
Email: gestwicki@corning-cc.edu
Focus: Emerging and existing businesses
Geographic Area: Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties
Products and Services: Small-business management and entrepreneurial
training
Age Level: Adults
Key Partners: Local economic development agencies and U.S. Small
Business Administration, New York State, and the State University of
New York and Corning Community College
Abstract: Corning Community College’s Small Business Development
Center (SBDC) provides confidential one-on-one management counseling
at no charge to start-up and existing businesses. The SBDC is a partnership
with the U.S. Small Business Administration, New York State, and the
State University of New York and Corning Community College. Services
include start-up information, business plan development, cash-flow projections,
sources of capital, record keeping, financial analysis, government procurement,
minority/women-owned business certification assistance, marketing, and
NYS Department of Transportation bid information.
The SBDC is an SBA Intermediary for the Pre-Qualification Loan Program
and also uses a research network with information on industry trends,
statistics, demographics, trade associations, and business planning
guides for specific ventures. As a convenience to clients, outreach
services are available in Bath, Elmira, Hornell, and Montour Falls.
Entrepreneurial training is offered throughout the year, with
topics such as how to start a business, developing a business plan,
marketing, tax requirements, cash flow, hiring and firing, marketing
on the Internet, and small business innovation research.
The SBDC's Small Business Management Certificate Program offers
15 hours of instruction. This consists of four core courses and one
elective. Each three-hour core course and elective is a stand-alone
workshop that can also be taken for its own merit. Core courses are:
How to Start a Business, Organizing Your Business Plan, Marketing, and
Making Sense of Tax Requirements. Other courses available as electives
include Introduction to Computer Skills or Windows, Word Processing
(MS Word), Spreadsheets (MS Excel), Recordkeeping (Quicken/Quickbooks
Online course), Sales 101, and Strategic Planning.
The Women Business Owners' Roundtable was created in 1988 to
provide training, resources, and a networking opportunity for women.
The roundtable meets on the second Wednesday of the month (September
through June) and specific business management topics such as marketing,
planning, sales techniques, public relations, and pricing are presented.
Participants promote business within the group, share expertise, and
receive training to strengthen management skills. There is no charge
to participate in the sessions. The goal of the roundtable is to provide
training and direction so that women business owners can realize their
full economic potential, achieve success, and minimize the risk of failure.
This is done in a spirit of sharing to address the issue of isolation
in solving problems of both day-to-day operations and long-term planning.
The Goldman Sachs Institute for Entrepreneurship
A Better Chance
Jayson Jarul Green, Project Coordinator
825 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019
212-456-1819
Fax: 212-456-1929
Email: jgreen@abetterchance.org
Web site: abetterchance.org
Abstract: The Goldman Sachs Institute for Entrepreneurship works
with A Better Chance students who are the top ten percentile of minority
students in the country.
The program is the result of the instructor's experience with the National
Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. The program is a four-tier
approach:
- Tier 1: an exploration into business, economics, and finance
via a 12 week workshop
- Tier 2: students log onto our entrepreneurship Web site to further
their knowledge in the world of business
- Tier 3: students choose from the following:stay within the Career Services Program and be just an active
member; further career goals by putting together a career plan; work to create a business plan for their individual business
concept
- Tier 4: After completing their business plans and
presenting them in front of a venture capital board, they choose
to continue in one of the following:furthering individual business idea while working with
an entrepreneurial consultant; working on a group business idea with fellow participants; completing a career plan to further career goals.
The four-tier approach is a unique program design. It has the benefits
of linking students with entrepreneurs, business school professionals,
and project staff on an individual basis to assist with their business
and career plans. They have access to an entrepreneurial Web site for
further instruction. Goldman Sachs is proud of their first Institute
for Entrepreneurship as a nationally recognized program.
Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship
Executive Director
Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship
Columbia University
702 Uris Hall
3022 Broadway
New York, NY 10027-6945
212-369-3900
Fax: 212-369-5361
Web Site: http://www.harlemlive.org/community/orgs/iye
Focus: After-school program for youths
Abstract: The Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship runs an after-school
and summer program that
teaches life skills through the operation of New York Colors, a greeting
card and specialty-logo
business. The students participate in classes on entrepreneurship and
work in one of four
departments of the business: design, production, marketing and sales,
or finance.
The young people, age 12 to 18, take on progressively more responsibility.
They are paid for their
work but also receive shares in a scholarship fund for further education
and training, which is
awarded to them after completion of high school. The students work in
teams and combine
classroom training with the experience of operating an ongoing business.
Mentors for the students are provided by corporations and the Stern
College of Business at New
York University. Most of the students live in the Harlem area and are
African American or Latino.
Integrating Computer Technology with Entrepreneurship
Troy Burgher, CEO
STC Computer Training
319 Beach 98th Street, #14 H
Rockaway Park, NY 11694
718-318-4737
Fax: 718-318-4739
Focus: Areas include high school, for-profit programs, with a strong concentration on community-based organizations.
Abstract: This program, entitled "Integrating Computer Technology
with Entrepreneurship," is designed to demonstrate and reinforce the
importance of computers to youth entrepreneurs in developing and enhancing
their business.
We examine the steps that Andre Edwards, a self-proclaimed freelance
artist, took to turn what was just a hobby into a profit-making business.
His steps to entrepreneurial success almost always included the use
of a computer and various types of software, and the software he used
and what he used it for.
We demonstrate how a word processor was used to create the business
plan;
- how a spreadsheet was used to assist with the tracking of money
earned and spent;
- how a database application was used to organize customer information;
- how a presentation was created to visually display products and
services to potential clients;
- how the Internet/online services were used to keep informed about
the industry; and
- how graphic-design and desktop-publishing software was used to create,
enhance, and print graphic material.
Andre is a high school graduate who has begun his journey to entrepreneurial
success as an artist who is looking to explore the area of graphic design.
He has been a consultant for STC Computer Training and previously owned
businesses of Troy Burgher's, providing such services as logo design,
general artwork, and computer assistance. He is currently working as
a data-entry operator, which allows him to improve his computer skills
while gaining income to finance his entrepreneurial endeavors.
Jamestown Community College Business for Beginners,
Small Business Development Center
William S. Everts, Senior Consultant
Small Business Development Center
Jamestown Community College
P.O. Box 20
Jamestown, NY 14702-0020
716-665-5754
Focus: Adult entrepreneur training
Abstract: This program was designed for people with little or
no business education or experience. However, even the astute business
person walks away satisfied. In addition, the program has been useful
to clients enrolled in the Department of Labor Self-Employment Assistance
Program (SEAP).
This is a 21-hour program, which we have presented each semester during
the past two years. Attendance at the first four programs totaled 71
potential small-business owners. It is a highly interactive course,
which introduces the basic concepts of business ownership in a group
setting. The course is designed to increase the chances of success for
participants. It introduces the elements of small-business ownership,
provides how-to information, helps development of essential skills, and
gives a realistic understanding of all that is involved in small-business
ownership. Several of the participants in the course were existing small-business
owners who found the program very useful in upgrading and refining their
business skills.
Included in the program are interactive discussion and small-group
activities relating to such topics as setting goals, developing mission
statements, and what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Other topics include
business start-up; management issues (including record keeping and cash
flow); marketing and selling your product and service; "people
skills" required by the business owner; and, finally, how to get
started putting your business plan together.
Livonia Central High School
Entrepreneurship Course
Tracie Hack, Business Education Teacher
Livonia Central High School
P.O. Box E
Livonia, NY 14487
Abstract: Livonia is a rural community south of Rochester, New York.
The school serves a broad range of occupations although there is no
industry within the community. Entrepreneurship is offered to students
in grades 1012. The program is divided into two areas: marketing
and business ownership. A text is used in the beginning to establish
common knowledge among all the students. Then they use simulations,
field trips and video series to expand their knowledge.
The strongest component of the class is the marketing component. By
using simulations to learn and apply their knowledge, the students seem
to grasp the concepts quickly. They incorporate computer technology
also Videotaping presentation and having business meetings to critique
the presentations is an important learning component.
New York REAL Enterprises
Dr. Michael Doyle
Ms. Barbara VanWicklin
Cattaraugus Allegany BOCES
1825 Windfall Road
Olean, NY 14760
716-376-8285 or 716-376-8321
Fax: 716-376-8304 or 716-376-8438
Email: barb_vanwicklin@cabo.wnyric.org
Email: michael_doyle@caboces.org
Web site: www.caew-boces.wnyric.org
Focus: Experiential entrepreneurship education for elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as community colleges and adult entrepreneurship programs. Also adaptable for after-school, out-of-school, and camp contexts.
Geographic Area: New York State
Products and Services: Comprehensive professional development program for instructors (institutes, in-service seminars, site visits); experiential, activity-based entrepreneurship curricula with integrated technology and student workbooks for high school/post-secondary ("REAL entrepreneurship") and elementary/middle schools ("Mini/Middle REAL"); materials and support for establishing successful local programs; targeted entrepreneurship development modules for displaced workers; evaluation and documentation of student demographics, learning outcomes, and business development results; School-Based Enterprise module/training.
Age Level: Children (grades 5-8), youths (grades 9-12), and adults of all ages
Key Partners: National REAL Enterprises, CAEW-BOCES. At the local level: entrepreneurs, small business assistance providers, and community development advocates through a community support team created by each local program.
Abstract: Founded in the early 1980s, REAL Enterprises' mission is to help individuals, schools, communities, and rural America grow through hands-on entrepreneurship education. REAL is committed to preparing youths and adults to be active, self-sufficient, and productive citizens and effective contributors to community and economic development by: creating and sustaining a national network of dynamic entrepreneurship educators supported by effective member organizations, providing high-quality hands-on entrepreneurship curriculum and training for K-16 educators; advocating for experiential education and entrepreneurship; and documenting REAL's effectiveness for students and teachers. REAL serves and supports schools and teachers through nonprofit national and member organizations throughout the United States, six of which serve states in the ARC service region.
How it Works: At the high school/post-secondary level, REAL guides students through the process of creating small businesses of their own design. The process includes:
- self-assessment to determine students' potential and existing marketable strengths
- community analysis to identify needs and trends in the local economy
- researching/writing a comprehensive business plan for a student's chosen enterprise
- start-up support for participants who choose to open and operate enterprises.
A community support team of entrepreneurs and others from the local community assists each local program. REAL has been successfully integrated into existing post-secondary degree/certificate programs and has demonstrated its ability to create successful businesses.
In elementary and middle schools, Mini/Middle REAL helps students explore entrepreneurship in the context of a fully functioning in-school community (with a "Merchant's Mall," government, revenue, and court system), understand the economic implications of career and lifestyle choices, and apply entrepreneurial practices to school-based enterprises and community needs.
New York State Department of Economic Development)
Southern Tier Appalachian Rural Trade (NYS-START)
Ed Kowalewski, International Trade Specialist
Kay Wilkie, International Policy Analyst
Empire State Development
New York State Department of Economic Development
30 South Pearl Street
Albany, NY 12245
716-856-8111 (Kowalewski)
518-292-5270 (Wilkie)
Email: ekowalewski@empire.state.ny.us
Email: kwilkie@empire.state.ny.us
Web site: www.empire.state.ny.us
Focus: To foster rural Appalachian trade development by providing businesses in ARC counties with technical assistance and comprehensive export marketing plans prepared by graduate business student interns, and by encouraging participating firms to apply for matching funds to implement new export projects.
Geographic Area: The fourteen county Appalachian region in New York's Southern Tier (Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Steuben, Schuyler, Chemung, Tioga, Tompkins, Cortland, Broome, Chenango, Otsego, Delaware and Schoharie) .
Products and Services: For a modest tuition fee, companies participating in NYS-START receive comprehensive and customized export marketing plans with detailed international market entry and expansion strategies, developed by graduate business student interns, with guidance from trade expert teams led by Empire State Development (ESD) international professionals. Participating firms may also apply for matching funds to implement qualified export projects resulting from export marketing plans. Matching funds will be available to firms subject to application and approval by ESD.
Key Partners: US Department of Commerce Export Assistance Centers in New York (part of their Rural Export Initiative), university faculty ( e.g. Alfred University, Cornell, and State University of New York schools at Alfred, Buffalo, Binghamton, and Fredonia), county Industrial Development Agencies, the Southern Tier West, East and Central Regional Planning and Development Boards, Small Business Development Centers and other business partners.
Abstract: The New York State-Southern Tier Appalachian Rural Trade (NYS-START) project will provide qualified businesses in targeted ARC counties with valuable international trade assistance, customized export marketing plans and access to matching funds for actually implementing qualified export projects. The NYS-START initiative provides the framework for supporting entrepreneurs in expanding global business and regional job retention and creation.
While New York State is a leader in the global marketplace, the number of small and medium-sized company exporters from rural ARC counties is not representative of either state or national participation averages. Products and services produced by firms within Appalachian New York, though high quality, suffer from the lack of international market access. Geographic obstacles beyond the control of individual companies, such as higher transportation costs and distance from export services often clustered in urban areas, play a role in limiting global access for rural entrepreneurs. Another significant factor related to global market access difficulties a factor that is under companies' direct control relates to the failure of rural businesses to produce an effective international market entry strategy. It is hoped that businesses participating in NYS-START will gain the resources to compete effectively in the global marketplace, and will increase their exports and workforce in the ARC region of rural New York.
North Syracuse High School
Business Ownership/Entrepreneurship
Linda Dwyer, Business Teacher
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Co-Advisor
North Syracuse High School
Route 31
Cicero, NY 13039
315- 699-2611
E-mail: ldwyer@nscsd.k12.ny.us
Web site: www.nscsd.k12.ny.us
Focus: Business Ownership/Entrepreneurship serves a heterogeneous group of approximately 90 students in grades 10-12.
Abstract: The Cicero-North Syracuse Business Department recognizes that due to the resurgence of small business in the United State, entrepreneurship has become an essential component of business curriculum. Our entrepreneurship program integrates entrepreneurship/business management principles and theory with “real life” experience in operating a business.
The Business Ownership course provides students with an opportunity to actually become entrepreneurs by starting a class business-a retail firm located within the school. The school provides us with a location designated specifically for the student-run business, which is separate from the actual school bookstore. Students structure the business as a partnership- developing a partnership agreement. They are involved in all aspects of business ownership, including: conducting market research, creating a name and logo, preparing a business plan, locating suppliers, purchasing and pricing inventory, developing new products, selling, advertising, bookkeeping, taxation, and preparing financial statements.
In addition to hands-on experience in operating the business, students use a variety of resources to learn business management principles, theory, and law. Business publications used to teach the course include: Inc, Entrepreneurship, Young Entrepreneur, and Black Enterprise. The textbooks used to teach the course include: How to Start. Run. and Stay in Business, Small-Time Operator, and Entrepreneurship, among others. Additionally, arrangements are made with local business owners to speak with students throughout the year.
The student-run business was created in 1999 with start-up capital I received from a School-to-Work mini-grant. The net profits earned each school year are given back to eligible students in the form of college textbook scholarships. Over the past three years, $3,000 in net profits has been awarded to students. As a result of this program, students learn firsthand the rewards and difficulties of operating a profitable business.
Rural Ventures Checkmate
Brower Communications, Inc.
Martha Brower, Instructor
Brower Communications, Inc.
P.O. Box 935
Norwich, NY 13815
607-334-7526
Fax: 800-238-7295
Email: brower@ascent.net
Focus: Rural business development
Geographical Area: New York
Products and Services: Business plan development training for
rural ventures
Age Level: Adults
Key Partners: LMLM Rural Economic Development, So. Central New
York Resource Conservation and Development, Center for Agriculture Development
and Entrepreneurship
Abstract: This business plan development training has one clear
purpose in mindto have upon completion a completed business plan
for rural ventures. The 20-hour program has been designed to incorporate
less lectures and more hands-on activities. Students learn from analogies
and from applying concepts right in the classroom.
Each class provides an opportunity to understand a segment of the business
plan and learn how to apply the knowledge to rural activities. Among
the elements incorporated to "Checkmate" are the critical challenges
of marketing a business in rural areas and most important. Students
learn how to market products and services internationally to give rural
businesses new opportunities to expand and succeed. The learning material
is light, not complex; most of the learning comes from the student's
network and guest speakers.
"Checkmate" removes country practices and allows candidates to understand
the market competitiveness outside their boundaries. It provides students
the opportunity to see and understand what large cities are doing and
bring home the same innovative ideas. Checkmate helps entrepreneurs
and business owners understand the power of strategies and plans. By
comparing the failure of a tic-tac-toe, we can show them the advantages
of studying the business game and succeeding through the process of
strategic planning. A planning guide and textbook is also available
for independent studies.
New York State Small Business Development Center
Office of Entrepreneurial Education (oe2)
EntreSkills™ I Program
Beverly Ford
EntreSkills I Program Manager
100 Village Square, Suite 102
Painted Post, NY 14870
607-962-8039 or 518-433-5398 Ext 125
Email: entreskills@nyssbdc.org
Web site: www.entreskills.org
Focus: Inspiring Young Adults to Think as Successful Entrepreneurs: "Creative Solutions with a Practical Plan"
Geographic Area: New York State
Age Level: High School grades 9-12
Key Partners: - SBA - Small Business Administration
- NYS - New York State
- SUNY - The State University of New York
- CUNY - The City University of New York
- The Research Foundation of State University of New York
- US Dept of Labor
Abstract/Summary: EntreSkills™ is a CD/Web based Entrepreneurship course designed for 9-12 grade students in New York State. This course teaches high school students the skills needed to open and operate a successful small business. Students are easily able to navigate through this on-line course, which is reinforced with exercises, additional activities, case studies, vocabulary test, relevant Web sites and a section on business plan development that helps students apply the concepts they have been taught. Teachers can create online tests and draw from a large library of resources to customize the material to match their teaching style and lesson plan. To learn more visit oe2 at www.entreskills.org .
How was EntreSkills™ I Developed? The Office of Entrepreneurial Education (oe2) worked with knowledgeable and experienced Business Advisors from the New York State Business Development Center (NYSSBDC) network to develop the lessons, exercises, test questions, and other components of the EntreSkills™ I chapters. Since 1984, the New York State SBDC has been recognized as the premier business assistance program in the state, providing one-to-one counseling for more than 237,000 businesses, and helping them to save or create 113,000 jobs. Several of SBDC's highly qualified advisors applied their expertise and practical experience in the development and growth of small business to writing the EntreSkills™ I chapters. The Teacher Resources section of the EntreSkills™ I program was developed from recommendations provided by a Teacher Review Committee along with ongoing teacher feedback. There is no charge to New York State educators or students for using EntreSkills™ I; oe2 asked teachers to provide feedback and share resources in exchange for access to the program.
Resulting Outcomes/Product/Services:
Teacher training for EntreSkills™ I is available via Web conferencing, providing teachers the ease of training at school or from home, M-F 8am - 3 pm EST. To assist school administrators and teachers in implementing EntreSkills™ I, oe2 provides crosswalks that show how EntreSkills™ I meets the following New York State learning standards and course requirements.
- NYS Learning Standards in Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS)
- NYS Business Ownership and Marketing (Entrepreneurship) State Syllabus
- NYS Career & Financial Management State Syllabus.
Currently EntreSkills™ I is available free of charge to NYS educators and is available for use by educators and schools in other states for a fee. If you have questions about the program or are interested in the possibility of expanding this to your state, please contact Bev Ford using the information provided under "Contact Information".
Schoharie Central School
Lisa Collins
Community Entrepreneur Challenge
Schoharie Central School
Main Street
Schoharie NY 12157
518-295-8132
Focus: Activities to focus school fundraising activities through local businesses
Geographic Area: Local area
Age Level: high school students
Key Partners: Chamber of commerce and local businesses
Abstract: The Community Entrepreneur Challenge is a joint project between the Desktop Publishing class and the Marketing class in grades 10 - 12. Their purpose was to replace some of the outside fundraising companies used in the past with their own cooperative efforts to use local business sources. In the process of organizing fundraising activities students negotiated with local suppliers, completed contracts, developed a marketing plan, and completed a fundraising flyer for use by other school organizations. They plan to produce a catalog of the flyers for use with potential fundraisers that could be implemented using local suppliers.
This challenge is student driven. It allows students to interact with a variety of people and to be able to apply what they have learned in their regular course work to the "real world".
Workshop in Business Opportunities (WIBO)
Amini Kajunju, Executive Director,
220 East 23rd Street, Room 309,
New York, NY 10010
212-684-0854 ext 105
Email: akajunju@wibo.org
Website: www.wibo.org
Focus: Founded in 1966, How To Build A Growing Profitable Business is 37-year old workshop that teaches the nuts and bolts of starting and building a successful business.
Geographic Area: New York
Abstract: Over the past 37 years, WIBO has been providing entrepreneurial training to over 14,000 individuals in the New York City area. We have focused on the basics of business development. As an entrepreneur, you cannot avoid creating a marketing plan or figuring out your break-even points. Our curriculum and case studies are comprehensive and rigorous. Our graduates have gone out to create successful businesses.
Although WIBO has expanded significantly since its creation, the WIBO
mission has not changed. We continue to believe fervently that business education and economic
empowerment are intrinsically linked, and that they are essential ingredients in improving
living conditions in underdeveloped and impoverished communities throughout the United States.
The Web page provides information on all of their programs and activities.
NORTH CAROLINA
Apex High School
Dawn Harrison
Family and Consumer Science Teacher
Wake County Public Schools: Apex High School
1501 Laura Duncan Rd.
Apex, NC 27502
919-387-2208
Email: dmharrison@wcpss.net
Focus: Clothing and housing apparel development.
Geographic Area: North Carolina
Age Level: High School- 10th - 12th grade
Abstract: The use of fibers and fabrics is combined with design
and construction techniques to develop and produce a clothing or housing
apparel product. A real or simulated business apparel enterprise and FCCLA
activities allow students to apply instructional strategies and workplace
readiness skills to an authentic experience and to develop a workplace readiness
skills to an authentic experience and to develop a portfolio.
Skills in science, math, management, communication, and teamwork are
reinforced in this course. Work-based learning strategies appropriate for
the course include school-based enterprises, field trips, job shadowing,
and service learning. A real work component is added to this program. Students
will learn everything from developing business concepts, business plans,
marketing strategies, to production and shipping a product.
Caldwell County Career Center
Carol Wright
Quality Entrepreneurial Simulation Teams (QUEST)
Caldwell County Career Center
2857 Hickory Blvd.
Hudson NC 28638
828-726-2606
Email: cwright@caldwell.cc.nc.us
Web site: www.caldwellschools.com
Focus: Year-long program for students interested in entrepreneurship as a career
Geographic Area: Caldwell County
Age Level: High school juniors and seniors
Key Partners: Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce, Caldwell County Government, and the Caldwell Career Ready Partnership.
Abstract: The Caldwell County Career Center is a magnet school serving three area high schools and is located on the Caldwell Community College campus. Students who elect to be part of the Quality Entrepreneurial Simulation Teams (QUEST) program begin by attending a one-week Summer Entrepreneurship Academy, followed by monthly meeting during the academic year. They also meet bi-weekly as student teams to plan and implement their business idea, all under the guidance of a team of local business mentors. At the end of the year QUEST teams present their final reports to an evaluation team of business persons and receive the annual Caldwell QUEST Entrepreneurial Excellence Award presented by the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce.
The program focuses on elements of entrepreneurship, development of self-awareness, basics of business planning and implementation, the use of web-based technology for business, the incorporation of basic total quality principles and tools for effective teamwork, and an analysis of the local economy and its potential for business development. Students will work in teams to develop and implement a business plan under the direction and guidance of a team of local business mentors from the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce, Caldwell County Government, and the Caldwell Career Ready Partnership.
Catawba Valley Community College
Sallie Neville Merritt, Director
Small Business Center
Catawba Valley Community College
2550 Hwy 70 SE
Hickory, NC 28602
828-327-7000 Ext. 4112
Fax: 828-322-5455
Email: smerritt@cvcc.cc.nc.us
Web site: http://www.cvcc.cc.nc.us
Focus: Helping small businesses thrive in Catawba and Alexander
Counties
Geographic Area: Catawba and Alexander Counties in North Carolina
Products and Services: Seminars, free counseling, and library
materials that help entrepreneurs.
Age Level: Adults
Key Partners: Chambers of Commerce, SBTDC, SBA, and local banks
Abstract: The Small Business Center at Catawba Valley Community
College helps entrepreneurs turn dreams into reality. We offer a seminar
series that covers planning, business basics, marketing and finance
at a nominal cost. We also offer free counseling by appointment and
have a library of books, videos and audiotapes that are available for
lending.
Central Piedmont Community College
The Small Business Center
Maggi Braun, Director, Small Business Center
Central Piedmont Community College
PO Box 35009
Charlotte, NC 28235
704.330.4651
Email: Maggi_braun@cpcc.edu
Web site: www.cpcctraining.org/small_business
Focus: Services to small business in the community
Abstract: The Center encompasses five major areas:
- Small Business Grant presents a series of free seminars at the Public Libraries of Charlotte/Mecklenburg County targeting those who want to start their own business or those already in business. These take place in the evening from September through June. A series of four seminars on starting a business are also offered in Spanish. There is also a Resource Center containing books, periodicals, audio and video tapes, software, and internet access.
- Self-Supporting Classes such as Getting Started With QuickBooks Pro; Business Basics of Starting and Operating a Small Business; Financial Management and Recordkeeping for Small Business; Hands-on Business Plan Writing; Dynamic Marketing for the Small Business; and Collect the Cash, Keep the Customer are offered throughout the year on each of the CPCC Campuses.
- International Outreach instruction includes Export Ready and Letters of Credit Principles and Documentation
- Business and Entrepreneurial Skills Training (BEST) offers a nine month program for those business owners looking to grow and improve their business. This partnership with the City of Charlotte and First Citizens Bank includes on-site assessment, workshops, and one-on-one counseling all customized to the individual business.
- One-on-One Counseling is available on an appointment basis for start-up or existing businesses.
Most entrepreneurs are well versed in the technical side of the business in fact, that is usually why they go into business. At the same time, most have very limited expertise in the business side of the business strategic planning, marketing, financial management, human resources issues, etc. This “business side of the business” is the area of concentration for the BEST (Business & Entrepreneurial Skills Training) program. BEST seeks to identify the long-term goals of each owner and to deliver the tools they will need to reach those goals.
BEST targets companies who have made it over the “start-up” hurdle and are at a point of growth where the owner needs to develop additional managerial skills in order to successfully move their company ahead. It specifically targets minority and women owned businesses with an emphasis on those located in the City Within A City area. In order to be eligible to participate in the BEST Program, a company must:
- Have been in business one year or more.
- Be full time in the business.
- Keep financial records.
COMPONENTS OF BEST: This nine month program consists of:
- Unique individualized assessment and customized delivery of on-site consulting.
- Workshop series covering all aspects of business.
- Practical information that can be applied immediately.
- Networking with small business owners.
The Council for Entrepreneurial Development
Lisa Marincic, FastTrac Coordinator,
The Council for Entrepreneurial Development
104 T.W. Alexander Dr., Building 1,
RTP, NC 27709
919.549.7500
Fax: 919.549.7405
FastTrac courses, 919-549-7500 ext. 104.
Email: lmarincic@cednc.org
Email: info@cednc.org
Focus: Assistance for business growth
Abstract: The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) was founded in 1984 to stimulate the creation and growth of high impact companies in the greater Research Triangle area. CED achieves its mission by providing programs and services in four major areas: education, capital formation, mentoring, and communications. Through these efforts, CED provides entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills that ensure their success and at the same time heightens awareness of the contribution that entrepreneurial companies make to our communities and our economy.
A private, non-profit organization supported by membership dues, program revenues, and contributions, CED is governed by an Executive Committee and an operating board of Directors with input from a larger Board of Advisors. CED maintains an office in Research Triangle Park where full-time staff members and a large corps of volunteers combine their talents to ensure increased opportunities for entrepreneurial development. CED is continually seeking new ways to better serve the entrepreneurial business community.
With more than 5000 active members representing 1300 companies, CED is the largest entrepreneurial support organization in the US. CED provides an interactive forum for entrepreneurs, investors, service professionals, academicians, researchers and public policy makers who combine their energies to create an environment in which entrepreneurship can flourish. CED helps entrepreneurs in wide range industries and at all stages of development-from high-tech product based organizations to professional service firms, from one-person start-ups to 1000-person businesses. CED has several different membership categories with different levels of member benefit.
FastTrac is a comprehensive business-training program created to help current and prospective entrepreneurs launch and grow their companies wisely, successfully, and profitably. The program combines interactive instruction with one-on-one coaching, peer learning, guest speakers, and comprehensive workbooks. It provides an effective and productive environment for entrepreneurs, business owners, and business executives to examine the critical areas necessary to build the business, strategic, and financial plans necessary to establish and grow a successful venture.
To date, more than 40,000 entrepreneurs in the United States and more than 450 in the Triangle have improved their businesses by completing FastTrac. Research shows that FastTrac graduates outperform other entrepreneurs in all business measures, including annual sales increases and employment growth.
Five-year success rates for FastTrac companies are twice the national average for startup companies.
FastTrac is offered in three forms in order to fully and effectively meet the needs of businesses at different levels and different stages of growth: FastTrac Tech, FastTrac for Startups, and FastTrac for Growth. FastTrac Tech is offered as part of CED's Capital Connection program. The FastTrac for Startups and FastTrac for Growth courses are offered through a partnership with Venture Management Inc., a long-term participant in the implementation of CED FastTrac programs and a firm that provides senior management expertise and assistance to startup and growth companies.
Forestview High School
Ms. Ruth J. Brown
Teacher - Marketing Education/Business
Forestview High School
5545 Union Road
Gastonia, NC 28056
704 -861-2625
Fax: (704) 853-3323
Email: ruthbrown@gaston.kl2.nc.us
Web site: www.gojagwire.net
Focus: Entrepreneurship/Small Business
Geographic Area: North Carolina
Age Level: The population of students enrolled in Entrepreneurship/Small Business is diverse.
Student makeup includes those whose parents have advanced degrees to those whose parents
are high school drop-outs.
Abstract: The Marketing Education Program is a vital part of the Curriculum
at Forestview High School. Students take an active part in understanding
the overview of entrepreneurship and the management of a small business.
The use of projects was used to enhance the learning process for students.
Topics covering, Pricing, the Private Enterprise System, the Government's
role in small business. Competition, the Marketing Mix, and the location
and layout considerations for a small business, help students to conceptualize
their own business plans. Students are also given the opportunity to participate
in Co-Operative Education as a component of the Marketing Education Program.
Business/Education Partnership Forum
Brett Pawlowski
Business/Education Partnership Forum
c/o DeHavilland Associates
10925 David Taylor Drive, Suite 100
Charlotte, NC 28262
704.944.3134
Fax 704.944.3101
Email: brett@dehavillandassociates.com
Web site: http://www.biz4ed.org.
Abstract: The Business Education Partnership Forum is intended to be a resource
for anyone involved in building successful partnerships between businesses and K-12 schools,
from local initiatives to national programs. It offers news, information, and resources to help
prospective partners learn about building successful business/education partnerships.
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