The Iowa Startup Wiki » K-12

The Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship

Christian — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:38:40 +0000

The Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship at The University of Iowa enriches K-12 students’ lives through classroom and practical educational experiences. Through teacher education, innovative curricula, and outreach, the Jacobson Institute fosters the “entrepreneurial mindset”—encouraging creativity, innovation, critical thinking, and problem solving, and preparing students for success in the worlds of business and entrepreneurship.

More information at http://www.jacobsoninstitute.org

Iowa Lakes Corridor Be Your Own Boss Seminar & Business Plan Competition

Christian — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:31:54 +0000

Over 200 high school students from the Iowa Lakes Corridor region attended the inaugural Be Your Own Boss seminar in 2008. Keynote speakers included Tom Bedell, former chairman of Pure Fishing, and David Hensley of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Iowa. Several break-out sessions were held for students to learn from Full Article…

Iowa Lakes Corridor Middle School Entrepreneurship Academy

Christian — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:31:28 +0000

The Iowa Lakes Corridor sponsored the first Middle School Entrepreneurship Academy in 2008. Eleven youth from the region participated in a week-long camp, learning about developing a business idea and business plan. The program has been held every summer since. The students learn how to turn a hobby into a business, create a business plan, and present their plans to a panel of judges. The winners receive cash prizes. Several academy graduates implemented their businesses, and are still in operation.

Hyperstream

Christian — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:30:57 +0000

The Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) Educational Foundation developed and tested a technology career awareness program called “HyperStream,” to support its key initiative of developing Iowa’s future technology workforce. Launching statewide in September, 2008, TAI member companies and their employees are the driving force in encouraging Iowa 8th–12th graders to pursue post-secondary technology education to prepare for Iowa tech careers. Through active partnership between business and education, ambassador companies work directly with educators and students by mentoring, starting HyperStream Clubs and supporting hands-on projects. Ambassadors directly develop our future technology leaders and contribute to the community.

This is NOT a career day presentation but a long-term program in which ambassadors, students, educators work together throughout the year and ongoing. Once a company signs up as a HyperStream Ambassador company, TAI provides the training, tools and direction needed to effectively partner with local school districts.

Invent Iowa

Christian — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:30:25 +0000

Invent Iowa, one of the premier programs through the Belin-Blank Center of International Development for Gifted Education and Talent Development, at the University of Iowa School of Education, serves the needs of talented young inventors and their teachers. The Invent Iowa program encourages students to creatively think and solve problems through the invention process. Now in its 24th year, the program has celebrated the work of thousands of students in grades K-12. These novice inventors, whose inventions range from humane mouse traps and mitten driers to devices that make life easier for someone with a disability, continue to amaze and inspire.

Invent Iowa is a comprehensive, statewide program developed to assist Iowa’s educators in promoting the invention process as part of their regular K–12 curriculum. Since 1987, Iowa students have had the opportunity to express their inventiveness and solve problems in an educational way. Local schools and Iowa Area Education Associations (AEA’s) provide opportunities to showcase student inventions at local and regional Invention Conventions.

The culminating invention experience for Iowa students in grades 3 through 8 is the Invent Iowa State Invention Convention. Student inventors must receive an official invitation to participate in the state convention. This invitation is issued by an authorized Invent Iowa Area Education Agency coordinator. All inventions at a convention must be a completely new product or significant new application of an existing product. The invention must also be original student work.

More info at

http://www.education.uiowa.edu/html/belinblank/Programs/Students/InventIA/Default.aspx

eSigourney Entrepreneurial Academy for Leadership

Christian — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:29:22 +0000

The eSigourney Entrepreneurial Academy for Leadership (eSEAL) was formed with a focus to give Sigourney students (7-12), including alternative students and interested community members, opportunities to be entrepreneurs. This also gives the students a broader ability to want to choose secondary education options, and gives them more choices in the career field. A goal of this is to stop the “brain drain” from the area by demonstrating that students can have productive and successful lives by owning a business.

The eSEAL Charter was designed as an academy for leadership through entrepreneurial experiences both in the classroom and in the community. Students in grades 7-12 are introduced to curriculum that emphasizes innovation, leadership, business plan development, continued education, and community engagement. In general, the climate of eSEAL learning is one of commitment to assuring all students find a way to be engaged in relevant learning experiences in areas that lead them to careers. While eSEAL has a strong emphasis on entrepreneurial education, career and basic leadership development are at the heart of the charter, supporting curriculum, and activities.

During the 2009 school year, the Sigourney Community School District initiated a Career Academy with the support of Indian Hills Community College, private sector businesses, and the wider community. eSEAL is incorporated into the Academy and complements the overall intent of the charter by assuring students have choices even if entrepreneurship is not the direction they elect to take for their future career.

When the Charter was created, it was not just to give high school students the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship. In the elementary school, students begin to explore entrepreneurship through a program called “Biz in a Boxx,” which is continued through middle school. At the middle school level, the students begin initiating career plans and start small businesses, such as selling cookies or other items during lunch. Throughout middle, and even high school, they participate in a wide variety of trips that expose them to different leadership, entrepreneurial and business examples in the surrounding communities. Students have even had the opportunity to visit with local entrepreneurs, attend entrepreneurship conferences and get hands-on experience.

More info: http://www.sigeseal.com/Sigourney_eSEAL/Home.html

Junior Achievement

Tej — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 04:55:23 +0000

Junior Achievement is an organization dedicated to teaching students about entrepreneurship through hands-on programs. What began in 1919 as an after school program for high school students has grown to include middle and elementary school students, as well as programs that are incorporated into school curriculum. JA now reaches 9.7 million students worldwide each year; over 50 million have been involved in JA since its inception. Three schools in the Corridor region have incorporated JA into their curriculum