Ready, Set, Launch

1. Ready, Set, Launch Creating an Entrepreneurship Program for Elementary and Middle School Learners

2. “The mind is an amazing thing.  It starts working the second you are born and stops working the moment you need to speak in public.” - Roscoe Drummond, national political reporter

3. by Pamela deWaaland Hayley Romano

4. What is TREP$ • TREP$ is a six-week entrepreneurship education curriculum appropriate for students in grades 4-8. • TREP$ workshops are hands-on, engaging, and fun! • TREP$ culminates with each student launching his/her own business for a real profit or loss. • TREP$ is being used by over 50 schools in 3 countries.

5. TREP$ Background

6. Today’s Objective • Based on our experience with TREP$, to provide you with the key points you need to consider in order to launch an empowering entrepreneurship education program for upper elementary and/or middle school students

7. Initial Decisions to Make • Which grades will be targeted? • How many students can participate? • Will it be mandatory or voluntary? • Will it be free or fee-based?

8. More Decisions to Make • Who will teach the lessons? • Will it be taught before, during, or after school? • What time of year is best? • What will the duration of the program be? • What room or facilities are available and appropriate?

9. How will the program be financed? • School district budget? • School building/Principal’s budget? • Registration fees collected from participating students? • Financial support from a Chamber of Commerce, local bank, or other local business or civic organization? • PTA/PTO/HAS budget? • A combination of the above?

10. Who will the other “players” be and how will their roles be defined? • Administration? • Teachers? • Parents? • Parent-teacher organization? • The Community?

11. What will your students learn? • Business skills? • Life skills? • 21st century skills? • Will you infuse content/standards from other subjects? • How will you design your lessons to meet these goals?

12. Will you teach “business” or “entrepreneurship”?How will you make this REAL? • Will it be a whole class project? • Will you have sole proprietors or partnerships? • Where will start-up funds come from? • Will students bear the financial risk/reward? • Will students sell at a live event or online? • What role will the students play in advertising the event? • Overall: Will the students be the decision-makers?

13. How are you going to engage young students? • Kicking-off the program • Lesson length • Instructional delivery methods • Importance of making it fun • Culminating activity

14. Ready for a challenge? • Build the Tallest Freestanding Structure: The winning team is the one that has the tallest structure measured from the table top surface to the top of the marshmallow. That means the structure cannot be suspended from a higher structure, like a chair, ceiling or chandelier. • The Entire Marshmallow Must be on Top: The entire marshmallow needs to be on the top of the structure. Cutting or eating part of the marshmallow disqualifies the team.  • Use as Much or as Little of the Kit: The team can use as many or as few of the 20 spaghetti sticks, as much or as little of the string or tape. The team cannot use the paper bag as part of their structure. • Break up the Spaghetti, String or Tape: Teams are free to break the spaghetti, cut up the tape and string to create new structures. • The Challenge Lasts 18 minutes: Teams cannot hold on to the structure when the time runs out. Those touching or supporting the structure at the end of the exercise will be disqualified. Any questions before starting?

15. Questions?

16. The Entrepreneurial Mindset “Entrepreneurship is a state of mind, a can-do attitude, a capacity to focus on a vision and work toward it.” --Barry Rogstad