Sparking Creativity in High School Entrepreneurs Ashley Gaffney Donna Martin

Buchholz High School  Located in Gainesville, Florida  Student population of 2,200  Suburban demographic  Academic emphasis, highest rating on state assessment tests

Academy of Entrepreneurship  Career academy established in 1993  Magnet program  Present enrollment – 230 students, gr  Variation of “academy” –One elective class each year, two teachers –Not leveled by academic ability –College prep curriculum, community partnerships

Academy Structure  Corporate Officers –CEO—overall Spirit Spot success, recruiting, officer installation, National Technical Honor Society –COO—Spirit Spot operations –CFO—cash tills & reports for Spirit Spot –CMO—Spirit Spot marketing –CIO—Newsletters, press releases –DECA President—Projects, membership, competition

Curriculum  Gr 9—Principles of Entrepreneurship  Gr 10—Business Management & Law  Gr 11—Business Ownership  Gr 12—Retail Essentials (optional) –Gr 11 or 12—Marketing Directed Study –Gr 11 or 12—Marketing On-the-Job Training

9 th Grade—Principles of Entrepreneurship Advantages / Disadvantages Setting Goals Communication Parts of a Business Plan Forms of Business Ownership Leadership / Management Ethics / Personal Responsibility Economics (Supply and Demand) Marketing and Advertising Financial Aspect of Business Technology Compensation and Benefits

10 th Grade—Business Management and Law Economics (Supply & Demand) Entrepreneurial Potential Ideas vs. Opportunities Globalization Business Planning Market Analysis Business Ownership Legal Issues Facing Start-ups Government Regulations Site Selection and Layout Marketing Plan Price Strategy Promotion Strategy Channels of Distribution

 International marketing club for high school students  Prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in high school students  Split into 2 chapters –9 th and 10 th grade –11 th and 12 th grade  Project-based and test-based competitions DECA

DECA Projects  Creative Marketing – Business Fair  Entrepreneurship Promotion – Teaching kids at local Boys and Girls Club about entrepreneurship  Public Relations – Adopt-a-puppy-thon  Learn and Earn – Fundraising for MDA

Junior Achievement Success Skills  Develops personal strategies to achieve lifelong learning pursuits and career opportunities –Team-building –Problem-solving –Critical-thinking –Communication –Negotiation –Leadership  Mock-interviews conducted

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

Class Projects – Sales Unit  “Can You Sell It?” Project  Objectives—students learn and apply steps of the selling process  Project Details –2-3 week unit –Sales training videos used –Pick a unique, non-existent product –Work with partner and role play a sales pitch –Rubric for grading

Class Projects – Advertising Unit  Objectives—to present an ad campaign to executives of an advertising firm  Utilizes differentiated instruction  Students choose a product and develop a portfolio  Rubric for grading

11 th Grade—Business Ownership  Business Plans—teams of two –Junior Achievement program “Be Entrepreneurial” –Junior Achievement “Company Program” –DECA Competitions  Business plans  Business operations plans (market research)  Advertising campaigns

Community Partnerships  Junior Achievement –Students as learners –Students as teachers  Santa Fe College/CIED –Business pitch –Mentoring, seed money  Pizza Vito –Social media marketing

Class Projects  Credit Card Use for Spirit Spot –Fees –Terms and conditions  Bobcat Blankets –Marketing project involving social media –Video for uploading  Tshirt Designs –

The Spirit Spot  1200 sq. ft. retail store –Apparel, spirit items, school supplies, books –Café  Cooperative food program –Exclusive menu –Markup = cents per item  Four POS systems, 2 lunch shifts daily  20 minutes before school—volunteer staff

Store Operations  6-time DECA National Gold-Level Certification  Gross sales last year = $50,000  School Uniforms—fantastic!!!  1 day per week for “book work”

Store Operations

Benefits to the Students  Real work experience  Leadership and management experience  Poise, self-confidence  Application of knowledge and skills  $ for DECA competition  Enthusiasm, Excitement, Wholehearted involvement