Quick Facts
Ages: 11–13
Grades: Rising sixth graders through rising eight graders
Dates: June 16–June 20 (No programming on June 19, in observation of Juneteenth)
Time: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Mies Campus
Format: Daytime
Duration: One week
Cost: $500
Topic Area
Business
Entrepreneurship
Program Description
This program is for middle school students who have an interest in business and innovation. Students will participate in brainstorming sessions, develop business plans, and work on interactive team projects to explore the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. This program encourages creative thinking while building practical business skills, helping to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in young learners.
Schedule
Day 1: Introduction to Business and the Entrepreneurial Mindset
- 9–9:30 a.m.: Welcome and Icebreaker Activities
- Introduction to the course
- Fun icebreaker activities to get to know each other
- 9:30–10:30 a.m.: What is Business?
- Understanding what a business is
- Learning about the types of businesses (products, services)
- Exploring examples of local and global businesses
- 10:30 –10:45 a.m.: Break
- 10:45 a.m.–noon: Entrepreneurial Mindset
- What makes an entrepreneur?
- Characteristics of successful entrepreneurs
- Why problem-solving is key in business
- Noon–1 p.m.: Lunch Break
- 1–2:30 p.m.: Brainstorming Business Ideas
- Group brainstorming sessions
- Identifying problems and developing viable solutions
- Presenting ideas to the class
- 2:30–3 p.m.: Business Model Basics
- Introduction to business models: How do businesses make money?
- Types of business models: retail, subscription, etc.
- 3:00 pm - 3:15 pm: Break
- 3:15–4:30 p.m.: Group Project—Start a Business!
- Break into small groups
- Start planning a basic business idea using the model discussed
- 4:30–5 p.m.: Wrap-Up and Reflection
- Group presentations
- Reflect on what was learned today
Day 2: Market Research and Marketing Strategies
- 9–9:30 a.m.: Recap and Introduction to Marketing
- Quick recap of Day One
- What is marketing? Why is it important?
- 9:30–10:30 a.m.: Conducting Market Research
- How to research your target audience
- Surveys, interviews, and online tools
- Understanding competition
- 10:30–10:45 a.m.: Break
- 10:45 a.m.–noon: Marketing Strategies
- Different types of marketing: Social media, traditional, influencer, etc.
- Designing a simple marketing plan for your business idea
- Noon–1 p.m.: Lunch Break
- 1–2:30 p.m.: Building a Brand Identity
- What is a brand?
- Creating a name, logo, and slogan
- How branding helps businesses stand out
- 2:30–3 p.m.: Pricing Your Product
- How to price your product or service
- Factors to consider in pricing: Costs, market, competition
- 3–3:15 p.m.: Break
- 3:15–4:30 p.m.: Marketing Plan Workshop
- Students create marketing plans for their group businesses
- Design posters, websites, or flyers
- 4:30–5 p.m.: Wrap-Up and Group Sharing
- Present marketing plans to the class
- Feedback and discussion
Day 3: Financial Literacy and Budgeting
- 9–9:30 a.m.: Recap and Introduction to Finance
- Quick review of Day Two
- Introduction to financial terms such as profit, revenue, expenses
- 9:30–10:30 a.m.: Understanding Costs and Revenue
- Fixed vs. variable costs
- How to calculate revenue and profit
- Budgeting for your business
- 10:30–10:45 a.m.: Break
- 10:45 a.m.–noon: Creating a Simple Business Budget
- How to set up a basic budget
- Identifying startup costs, recurring costs, and expected income
- Noon–1 p.m.: Lunch Break
- 1–2:30 p.m.: Income Statements and Profit Margins
- Introduction to basic financial statements
- How to calculate profit margins
- 2:30–3 p.m.: Managing Money in Business
- How businesses track and save money
- Understanding cash flow
- 3–3:15 p.m.: Break
- 3:15–4:30 p.m.: Hands-On Financial Planning
- Groups apply financial concepts to their business ideas
- Create simple income statements and track costs/revenue
- 4:30–5 p.m.: Wrap-Up and Discussion
- Share budgets and financial plans
- Discuss key takeaways from the day
Day 4: Building Leadership & Communication Skills
- 9–9:30 a.m.: Recap and Leadership Introduction
- Recap of Day Three
- What is leadership in business? Why is it important?
- 9:30–10:30 a.m.: Communication Skills for Entrepreneurs
- Importance of communication in business
- How to talk to customers, investors, and partners
- 10:30–10:45 a.m.: Break
- 10:45–noon: Teamwork and Leadership Exercises
- Group exercises to build teamwork
- How to be a good leader in your business
- Noon–1 p.m.: Lunch Break
- 1–2:30 p.m.: Public Speaking and Pitching Your Business
- How to create and deliver a pitch for your business
- Tips for speaking confidently and persuasively
- 2:30–3 p.m.: Conflict Resolution and Problem-Solving in Business
- Dealing with challenges and conflicts
- Creative problem-solving techniques for business
- 3–3:15 p.m.: Break
- 3:15–4:30 p.m.: Pitch Presentations
- Presentations are 10 minutes each, everyone in the group must speak, and groups must have a visual poster or pitch deck
- Practice public speaking and leadership skills
- 4:30–5 p.m.: Closing Remarks and Graduation
- Celebrating students’ hard work
- Say goodbye and thank you for attending!
Activities
- The development of a business plan and business idea
- Card game to represent that the rules of business are different across diverse cultures
- Shark Tank-style pitch presentation of business idea
Benefits
- Students will learn how to have confidence in their creative business ideas and to believe that they can make anything happen. They will also learn to have confidence in a classroom setting where they can expect to be cold called upon.
- Students will develop hard skills such as practical business methods, case work, business jargon, best practices, presentation skills, and the execution of assignments on time
- Students will develop soft skills such as working within a team to complete mini projects at an optimal level of execution by leveraging everyone’s voice and skill set and learn to work together
Eligibility and Program Requirements
No prior experience necessary!