Entrepreneurship at LCA
Young people are often told, “school is your job.” At LCA, students have taken this to heart and enthusiastically become entrepreneurs, employing the wealth of experience they already possess as consumers to delve into the other side of the world of commerce.
Entrepreneurial projects are primarily spearheaded through Technology/Design class with interdisciplinary skills rounded out in other core classes. It’s not just business as usual; the focus is on entrepreneurial thinking!
Why Entrepreneurial Thinking?
Entrepreneurial thinking is all about being creative, taking initiative, and solving problems in innovative ways. For students, this means looking at challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. It involves thinking outside the box, being curious, and not being afraid to take risks or make mistakes. By developing an entrepreneurial mindset, students can build confidence in their abilities, learn to work collaboratively, and develop skills like critical thinking and resourcefulness. This mindset helps them in all areas of life, whether it’s coming up with a new idea for a school project, starting a small business, or simply finding better ways to do everyday tasks.
Although not all students will be business owners, all benefit from the process of entrepreneurial thinking. Students find it engaging, appropriately rigorous and an authentic way to develop problem solving skills.
Some of Our Entrepreneurial Activities by Grade Include:
3rd Grade: Classroom Market
Third grade Saints create a Classroom Market as a culminating activity in an economics unit in social studies. Students learn about markets, production and consumption, economic literacy, and decision-making skills. The students build their business by producing a good or service for the classroom market. The day of the market, each student has the opportunity to be a consumer by purchasing goods and services from their classmates/salespeople. No cash is exchanged — the token economy is established as students earn “income” they will spend throughout their time producing goods in the classroom.
4th Grade: Lemonade Stands
In the frigid NEO winters, it is enticing to dream about a hot summer day, sipping on a cool glass of lemonade…and how about a lemonade rainbow slushie, or a pop-rock lemonade, or blue lemonade with blue raspberry gummy sharks swimming inside! Fourth graders use their creativity in dreaming up differentiated products for this popular and much anticipated event. Held near the end of the school year, fourth grade Saints host lemonade stands to serve eager preschoolers through eighth graders and adults in order to raise money for Drink Local Drink Tap, an organization that aids those without access to clean drinking water. Preparing for the event, students discuss and experience product differentiation, planning, cost analysis, branding, marketing, and customer service. While marketing their team’s product, students not only create print advertisements and posters, they also compose a product pitch which they voice on the morning announcements.
5th Grade: Christmas Market
Our fifth grade Saints host a Christmas Market as part of our Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and raise money for a current global issue. These industrious elves first research ideas for product possibilities and find team members during a “speed networking event” where they pitch their ideas to each other. After teams are formed, they set to work on making a prototype/example and plan for scale production. Students practice presentation skills and enthusiastically develop the best way to market, display, and package their product. The results are amazing — our fifth grade entrepreneurs produce a joy-filled event you don’t want to miss!
7th Grade: Saints StartUp
Our seventh grade Saints are completely immersed in the entrepreneurial process, starting with identifying a problem or need in the market and coming up with a unique solution. Once the idea is solidified, the next step is to conduct thorough market research to understand the target audience and competition. Seventh grade entrepreneurs then follow up by creating a detailed business plan that outlines their vision, marketing, and goals. During this process, they are supported and support others in the class through small presentations and collaborative feedback. Along the way, they submit a video pitch to the Young Entrepreneur Institute Pitch Challenge for an opportunity to compete against others in the NEO region.
Collaborating and Networking with NEO’s Best and Brightest
Each group is paired with a community professional who acts as a mentor, meeting in person a few times during the semester and often making themselves available to contact through email to help guide students throughout the process. To join the group of professionals who help guide our budding entrepreneurs, please contact Mrs. Laura Crabb for more information.
Making the Pitch
Students actively practice resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to take calculated risks as they prepare for their culminating “shark tank” presentation at our Saints StartUp assembly. The event is judged by community professionals and the winning “business” wins seed money and has the opportunity to participate in the regional AlphaJump! competition.
Entrepreneurship Clubs
100K Investment Club
Ding-Ding-Ding! Students in 5th through 8th grade are invited to try their luck and investment acumen in a stock market simulation with $100,000 in virtual money. This popular club not only gives students the opportunity to experience the stock market, they also learn personal finance principles. Top investors each semester earn real money awards courtesy of the AlphaJump! program.
Saints Say Pitch Club
Great ideas deserve a perfect pitch! Fifth and 6th grade students are invited to join this club and use their creativity as they learn to express their ideas succinctly and persuasively. Members compete in a club competition for cash prizes and also record their pitch to submit to the Young Entrepreneur Institute Pitch Challenge. In Saints Say Pitch Club, every voice is heard!
