Letter From the President

February 25, 2014

Dear Foundation Friends,

As I gaze out my window onto the snow-covered Hudson Green, my thoughts wander to warm spring days and the lemonade stands that will be popping up with young entrepreneurs at the till.  Many additional schools have signed on for the 2014 program, preparing to coach youngsters as they learn new skills and tackle the challenges of running a business.   We look forward to sampling the full range of sweet-tart beverages and simultaneously enjoying stories of youngsters inspired through entrepreneurship!

The Youth Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Northeast Ohio continues to expand and morph in strategic ways.  The newly-launched Young Entrepreneur Market will provide venues for young entrepreneurs to sell and promote their products at farmers markets, providing students with real world experiences in entrepreneurship.  Believe in Ohio is about to make a quantum leap offering talented Ohio students a STEM bridge to the innovation economy, including scholarship awards through a STEM commercialization and business plan competition. 

In November, we explored the breadth of Northeast Ohio youth entrepreneurship programs with colleagues from across the U.S. at the 2013 Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education Forum (CEE) held in Cleveland.  At that event, we celebrated CEE founder, Dr. Cathy Ashmore, for the three decades she dedicated to advancing the field of entrepreneurship education.  One thing is clear to us these days –entrepreneurial skills are now viewed as an integral part of a solid 21st century education! 

Please enjoy the stories and news in this edition of Venture Adventure....and think spring!  

Deborah D. Hoover
President & CEO

2013 CEE FORUM Held in Cleveland

February 25, 2014

Each year, the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education holds a national FORUM for entrepreneurship educators, providing them with plenty of opportunities to learn, share and network.  The 2013 FORUM was held in Cleveland and hosted 160 educators from around the globe, including 36 from Northeast Ohio. 

Highlights of the 3-day event included keynote speakers Jeff Hoffman, Steve Mariotti, Cathy Horton, and Deb Stanzak, as well as a fundraising workshop led by Cynthia Bailie, Executive Director of The Veale Foundation; Deborah Hoover, President and CEO of The Burton D. Morgan Foundation; David Holmes, Acting Director of The Foundation Center; and Rosa Berardi, Program Officer at The Coleman Foundation.  Participants enjoyed “Meet the Entrepreneur” sessions, and had the opportunity to tour The Global Center for Health Innovation after a presentation by Aram Nerpouni, President and CEO of BioEnterprise Corporation.  This forum also featured eight groups of student entrepreneurs, ages 9-25, who participated in a student marketplace and interacted with attendees. 

Perhaps the most special part of the weekend was a banquet held on Sunday evening honoring Cathy Ashmore, picture above, who founded the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education and served as executive director for 30 years.  Dr. Ashmore, an inspirational educator who has advanced the field of entrepreneurship in many ways throughout her career, was moved by the evening and the accolades she so richly deserved.  Many thanks to the planning committee, led by Hank Kopcial and Ilene Frankel, for helping to make this entire weekend possible. 

The Consortium is now being led by Dr. Gene Coulson, pictured right, who was recently named Executive Director.  Next year’s FORUM is in the planning stages and will be held in Cincinnati.

Lemonade Day Announces New Partners

February 25, 2014

Lemonade Day Northeast Ohio is growing by leaps and bounds, with projections of 2,000 participants for 2014, thanks to new partnerships with several major organizations.  A pilot project is underway this spring in Cleveland Metropolitan School District, where 300 seventh graders will open lemonade stand businesses as a capstone experience in a multi-year entrepreneurship course.  Akron Public Schools and Cuyahoga County Public Library are both conducting pilot projects in the 2014 season, and other new partners include Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland and schools in Cleveland, Windham, and Cuyahoga Falls.

Lemonade Day – which is not just one day but spans the spring and summer months – is a national program brought to the region by University School’s Entrepreneur Institute. The mission of Lemonade Day is to help prepare youth for life through a fun, experiential program infused with life skills, character education, and entrepreneurship.

Begun in Houston in 2007 by Prepared4Life, Lemonade Day was introduced to our region in 2011 by The Burton D. Morgan Foundation, and has been growing ever since.  In 2013, more than 1,700 children in grades 1-8 set up lemonade stands across Northeast Ohio and learned valuable lessons on budgeting, goal-setting, customer service, repaying investors, teamwork, and philanthropy.  Students operated stands in neighborhoods, outside local businesses, along parade routes, and at youth sporting events.  The program’s 34 community partners include public, private, and charter schools, and area youth and community organizations.

The Burton D. Morgan Foundation is proud to support this initiative, along with the Veale Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Hudson Economic Development Corporation, KeyBank, Heinen’s Fine Foods, and Kovach Design.  If you are interested in learning more about Lemonade Day or becoming a community partner or sponsor, please contact Jessie Jones, Regional Director, at 216-831-2200, ext. 7456, or jjones@lemonadedayneo.com.

Believe in Ohio Program to be Rolled Out During the 2014-2015 School Year

February 25, 2014

Thanks to approved state funding to the tune of $5 million, a new program from the Ohio Board of Regents and The Ohio Academy of Science (OAS) has been launched in Ohio that will help develop young entrepreneurs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

 Believe in Ohio, developed by OAS and Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio (EEO), is the brainchild of EEO’s John Klipfell and Dr. Julian Earls and OAS’s Dr. Lynn Elfner.  The program, which will be jointly managed by OAS and EEO, builds on the infrastructure and extensive networks of the OAS and many of the programs of EEO and is free to participating high school teachers and students.  The purpose of the Believe in Ohio program is to:

  • Open students’ eyes to what they will experience in the future and learn how to prepare for it
  • Inspire students’ interest in STEM where many of the best jobs and careers of the future will be
  • Plant in students the seed of entrepreneurship and help develop students’ problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration and the other 21st Century skills they will need to create the future
  • Introduce students to Ohio’s “Innovation Economy of the Future” and inspire them to pursue their STEM and entrepreneurial education and careers in Ohio
  • Provide Ohio’s high school students with an opportunity to compete for nearly $2 million in cash awards and scholarships to Ohio colleges and universities through participation in a statewide STEM Commercialization Plan and STEM Business Plan Competition

The first official Believe in Ohio event was the Northeast Ohio STEM Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Forum, held in Hudson in February.  The program’s full-scale rollout is scheduled for the 2014-2015 school year.  Other STEM Forums are planned in each of Ohio’s designated six Entrepreneurial Signature regions this fall.  Each Ohio region has an affiliated nonprofit that cultivates entrepreneurship.  In Northeast Ohio, JumpStart is the Entrepreneurial Signature organization.

To learn more about this program, visit the website: http://believeinohio.org.

Young Entrepreneur Market to Open in April

February 25, 2014

Some younger faces will be seen this year at the Farmer’s Markets in Shaker Square and Crocker Park.  The Entrepreneur Institute will launch the Young Entrepreneur Market this spring, which will feature students from area middle and high schools selling their wares at a booth in both locations. 

Students will gain real-world experience selling their products and services, in person, to the public.  This program will provide students with the opportunity to develop sales and customer service skills, assess customer response, hone pricing, gauge competition, and polish promotion.  It is anticipated that the Market will also help raise community awareness of youth entrepreneurship initiatives in Northeast Ohio. 

A competition was held for students to develop a logo for the Market.  Lauren Krevis of Magnificat High School won top honors for the winning logo (pictured), with Alexis Kerr of Beaumont School and Richard Benninger of St. Ignatius High School taking 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.  The students also received cash prizes ranging from $100 to $250.  Graphic designer Julianna Kovach Zingale donated her time to develop the logo competition and judge the entries.  

If you would like more information, or wish to participate with your students, contact Réka Barabás, Director of the Young Entrepreneur Market, at 216-831-2200, ext. 7456, or rbarabas@us.edu.

Hudson Teacher Honored

February 25, 2014

The Foundation congratulates Betty Banks-Burke, who was named Entrepreneurial Advocate of the Year in December.  Banks-Burke was honored by the Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Hudson Economic Growth Board, and Hudson Economic Development Corporation, which recognized outstanding businesses and individuals for their achievements and economic impact on the quality of life in Hudson. 

Banks-Burke, a business teacher at Hudson High School, has spearheaded a number of programs that help to advance entrepreneurship, including the Business Club, Best Seat in the House, A Day in Business, Stock Market Challenge, and Shark Tank.

Junior Achievement Affiliates Adopt Lightning Grader

February 25, 2014

The Northeast Ohio affiliates of Junior Achievement want to know:  what are students learning from their JA programs? They now have the answer, thanks to a pilot program by Michele Merkel, president of Junior Achievement of Mahoning Valley (JAMV), in collaboration with The Learning Egg, a Youngstown startup.

Working with the Learning Egg’s founder Elijah Stambaugh and assisted by a graduate student intern from Youngstown State, JAMV implemented use of the Learning Egg’s innovative product Lightning Grader, to measure student learning from JA programs in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness.  Lightning Grader is a web-based application that enables teachers to grade 100+ pages per minute and generates real-time reports that give educators an overview of each student’s strengths and weaknesses.

Stambaugh, a teacher turned entrepreneur, is finding success with both school districts and investors. He worked closely with JAMV to customize Lightning Grader to JA’s programs. Impressed with the application’s capabilities, Dawn Campanelli of JA of East Central Ohio (Canton area) has joined JAMV in using this new learning assessment tool.

President's Message

June 26, 2013

Youth entrepreneurship needs you!  There is a growing spirit of volunteerism percolating around youth entrepreneurship programs in Northeast Ohio these days.  This was never more apparent than on the first sunny weekend in May as we celebrated Lemonade Day in Hudson, Ohio, with colorful stands festooned with balloons, ribbons, and banners.  Handmade signs displaying the names of Disco Lemons, Lemonade Brigade, and Lemon Squeezers enticed the thirsty customers.  Excited youngsters beckoned to passers-by to sample their special beverage recipes and mouth-watering baked goods. Three years into the Lemonade Day movement in Northeast Ohio, community members have come to anticipate this now-annual ritual and eagerly engage the students in conversation about their businesses. The students beam with pride as they share what they have learned about profit and loss, along with the butterflies they experienced presenting their plans to the local loan board that bankrolled their operations.  All of this learning happens because caring teachers, parents, and community members take the time to be part of this valuable, hands-on learning experience. One stand in particular illustrated this point in spades.  When I visited Team Sour Power stationed in front of the Foundation offices around Saturday lunchtime, the brother-and-sister duo of lemonade purveyors was surrounded by mother and father, grandparents, and many other extended family members. This kind of support and the inevitable dialogue that flows from it − what do you want to be when you grow up? − spurs kids to think about their dreams for the future in new and dynamic ways.  This is why youth entrepreneurship needs you! 

National Educators Conference Brings “The Entrepreneurial Journey” to Cleveland

June 26, 2013

 The 31st Annual Entrepreneurship Education FORUM for educators, focusing on creativity and innovation, will be held this year in Cleveland, November 15-18. 

This must-attend conference for business and entrepreneurship educators, produced by the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (CEE), is a great opportunity for peer-to-peer learning, networking, and professional development. The annual conference attracts educators from across the United States and overseas for entrepreneurship symposia, panel discussions, demonstrations, and a student entrepreneur fair.  This year's keynote speaker will be Jeff Hoffman, founder and CEO of Priceline.com.  A special dinner honoring CEE founder Cathy Ashmore and her career contributions to the field will be a highlight event.  Several exciting site visits to Cleveland’s entrepreneurial hot spots will also be on the agenda.

In addition to the usual benefits of attending the FORUM, this year attendees will have an opportunity to earn graduate-level credit from Ashland University.  As a special incentive, the first 50 people who are registered for the hotel and conference will be eligible for a $50 discount on the graduate-credit fee; this incentive is available only to attendees from outside the Northeast Ohio region.

Scholarships toward the conference registration fee and hotel costs are available on a limited basis.  Applications, due by September 23, can be found at http://entre-ed.org/_network/forum.htm.  Limited presentation opportunities are also available.  Submission requests, due by July 19, can also be found at http://entre-ed.org/_network/forum.htm.

The 2013 FORUM will be held at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, where a group rate of $124 per night, guaranteed through October 15, has been secured.  Register early to assure this special rate.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend this fantastic conference in the past, visit http://entre-ed.org/_network/forum2012.htm for highlights of last year’s conference.

Hundreds of Area Youth Inspired at University School’s Celebration of Entrepreneurship

June 26, 2013

On April 18, University School held its 5th annual Celebration of Youth Entrepreneurship, a daylong event featuring a successful young entrepreneur and an expo for student entrepreneurs.  Students from 17 area public, private, and charter schools were invited to attend and were provided transportation subsidies through a grant to University School from The Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

Carl Sjogreen, a graduate of University School (class of 1996) and Harvard University, was the event’s keynote speaker.  Middle and high school students were captivated by Sjogreen, who started his first business in high school and went on to found two tech startups and to lead product development initiatives at Google. He sold his most recent startup to Facebook and is currently starting a new tech company.

Speaking at three different events organized by University School’s Entrepreneur Institute, Sjogreen reached more than 1,000 students and 200+ adults.  He highlighted what he considers to be the four most important characteristics of a successful entrepreneur:

• Ability to notice problems
• Willingness to take a smart risk
• Self-reliance
• Refusal to be a cog in the system.

Sjogreen also talked about the importance of learning to program computers, known as coding, stating, “In the future, the world is going to be divided into those who are told what to do by a computer, and those who will tell computers what to do.” He also showed students a brief video on the subject from Code.org, which features well-known entrepreneurs and celebrities speaking about the value of learning how to code (http://www.code.org/).

Just before and after Sjogreen’s evening address, a youth entrepreneurship fair featured micro-businesses started by middle school students from University School, Gilmour Academy, Hudson Montessori School, and Old Trail School, as well as several by high school students from Hathaway Brown School and Montessori High School.  Students’ businesses sold a range of homemade products, including barbecue sauce, protein cookies, neck warmers, photographs, baked goods, spices, handcrafted bags, bracelets, and perfume.  

For information on attending the 2014 Celebration next April, contact Greg Malkin at the Entrepreneur Institute (gmalkin@us.edu).

Student-Run Expo Attracts Nearly 5,000 Visitors

June 26, 2013

This year’s Entrovation Expo, held at the Beachwood Community Center in April, was a huge success, attracting 170 exhibitors and close to 5,000 visitors.  Combining entrepreneurship and innovation, the free event showcased entrepreneurs, businesses, and organizations’ innovative business practices.  This was the 6th year for this event, formerly called the Green Dream, in a nod to a previous focus on sustainability.  While sustainability is still a component, student planners expanded the event in 2013 to focus on communications, technology, living, health and wellness, art, medical innovation, and entertainment. 

Entrovation was produced by 25 students from Solon, Mayfield, Brush, and Beachwood high schools, who participated in the Excel Tecc Marketing Program at Beachwood High School and Junior Achievement’s JA Company program.  Each year, students select co-CEOs (one male and one female) to oversee the event.  Brooke Arnold and Mitch Longo, both of Mayfield High School, were CEOs of the 2013 event, and were advised by Gregory Perry, Beachwood High School’s business and marketing teacher.  Students are responsible for every aspect of planning the event, including finance, marketing, advertising, and operations.

Attendees had the opportunity to vote for their favorite company in the Innovative Entrepreneur of the Year Competition.  First place, receiving $3,000, went to My Wireless Lights; second place, receiving $1,500, went to J. Riley USA; and Beachwood High School’s Robotics Team earned third place, a $500 prize.

Northeast Ohio Community Supports Lemonade Day

June 26, 2013

This spring and summer, nearly 1,900 youth are projected to participate in Lemonade Day across Northeast Ohio, experiencing entrepreneurship firsthand and learning essential business basics by running lemonade stands. Local community partners include public, private and charter schools, Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement, and community service organizations from Akron to Lakewood. This popular and successful national program is brought to students in the classroom, after school, and in summer camps for grades K-12.

While May was the busiest month for lemonade stands in our area, Lemonade Day is far from over.  Lemonade stands will be a feature at farmers’ markets, and Heights Youth Club teenagers will be selling lemonade at a golf outing at Quail Hollow in July. Chagrin Falls Park Community Center teen summer campers will set up in Chagrin Falls Village in August, and youth in Lakewood will be setting up August 17th at the Lakewood Car Kulture show. In addition, some students have had such success and fun with the program, they will open for business again and again in their neighborhoods – be on the lookout for these budding entrepreneurs!

Lemonade Day Northeast Ohio has 28 community partners delivering the program this year.  Support from founding partners, The Burton D. Morgan Foundation and University School, as well as the Knight Foundation, the Veale Foundation and local businesses, enables hundreds of area students to receive free workbooks and curriculum materials that guide them in starting and running their own lemonade stand businesses.

Lemonade Day contributes to the rich entrepreneurial ecosystem in Northeast Ohio by exposing young children to business concepts and creating a love of entrepreneurship among our youngest citizens. 

For information on Lemonade Day 2014, contact Jessie Jones at jjones@us.edu.

First TiE Young Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition a Roaring Success

June 26, 2013

TiE Ohio held its first TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) Business Plan Competition on March 13 at the Ariel International Center in Cleveland.  High school student representatives from Beaumont, Benedictine, Gilmour, Hathaway Brown, Laurel, Magnificat, Saint Ignatius, and University schools had already won the business plan competition at each of their schools, and gathered to compete for the TiE Ohio title.  The schools are members of the Veale Youth Entrepreneurship Forum. 

Each competitor –individual or team- had to present a business plan for a company that could be started for less than $1,000.  The written and oral presentations were reviewed by a panel of judges based on concept, business model, market analysis, financial analysis, and overall presentation.  The work on the plans was completed during the school year, using the global TYE curriculum as a guide. 

Third place went to a team of University School students, Chris Lincoln, Rami Saker, and Gordon Wong.  Second place was awarded to Olivia Benton of Magnificat High School, and first place went to Anamika Veeramani, a junior from Laurel School.

Veeramani presented her online science journal for high school students, which she created in her freshman year.  She won $1,000 and went on to represent Ohio at the TiE Global competition, held in June in Washington D.C., where she was awarded special recognition for the “Best Idea to Foster STEM Education.”

The competition was sponsored by TiE Ohio, in partnership with The Burton D. Morgan Foundation and the Veale Foundation.

Congratulations to Junior Achievement Competition Winners!

June 26, 2013

Students all across Northeast Ohio participated in Junior Achievement programs during the school year, and excelled in a number of competitions held this spring.  JA affiliates in the region sponsored competitions for JA Titan and JA Company, creating an opportunity for students to learn from and compete against their peers from other schools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JA Titan is a simulation program designed to complement high school economics, math, and social studies curriculum.  Small teams of students become the CEO of a company with total control of company operations.  Students determine the success or failure of their business based on how well they manage key factors, such as price setting, filling production requests, marketing, investing in research and development, and capital equipment.

In the spring, several of the Northeast Ohio affiliates sponsor regional competitions so the students can compete against other schools using the JA Titan simulation.

At JA of Mahoning Valley’s competition, the 1st place team consisted of Ethan Keller, Tommy Mason and John Prebonnick from Champion High School.  Each student received a $500 scholarship.

Erin Pavlic, a Bloomfield High School student, stated, “I had a great time competing.  It was fun and educational.  I learned a lot about the business world that I didn’t know before.  I also liked being paired with a mentor who works in the business field.”

Earning top honors in the JA of North Central Ohio competition (Akron area) were Brennan Scott, Nick Giachetti, and Jordan Frederick from Medina’s Highland High School.  Each received a $400 scholarship.

At the JA of East Central Ohio (Canton area) competition, two teams tied for 1st place:  Jax 4 of Jackson High School and Hoover Orange from North Canton Hoover High School.  Each team member received a $500 scholarship. 

Across the region, many high school students also participated in the JA Company program. In this program, students start and manage their own business under the guidance of a school advisor and a volunteer mentor from the business community.  JA of Greater Cleveland sponsored a regional competition. First place was taken by Greg Perry’s class at Beachwood High School for their company, Entrovation (see separate story on Entrovation).  Foundation Program Officer Vikki Broer, who served as a judge of the competition, stated, “It was clear that all of the students involved developed new skills in presentation, team work, and marketing.  The learning comes through the JA Company process itself, and happens whether the resulting company makes a profit or not. In fact, the teams with significant challenges may have learned the most!”

At the JA Company competition sponsored by JA of East Central Ohio, 1st place went to the Viking Enterprises Division 12 team from North Canton Hoover. Team members were Kyle Goodwill, Jacob Kell, Molly Anderson, Jeremy Olsen, and Joe Boughton, who earned a $750 company bonus.   This team, supervised by business teacher, Kim Nidy, was one of only 15 in the nation to be invited to compete at the 2013 JA National Student Leadership Summit, held in Washington, D.C. in June!

Student Competition Wrap-Up

June 26, 2013

Teen Shark Tank
Hudson High School Entrepreneur Club members participated in a Teen Shark Tank competition in April at the Hudson Library, coordinated by business teacher and club advisor, Betty Banks-Burke.  The Teen Shark Tank competition is an adaptation of the popular television program, Shark Tank.  Students presented their products and answered challenging questions posed by the judges, or “sharks.”  The competition’s winner was a team of 10th graders, supervised by Karyn Buggs:  Jenna Fink, Annie O’Brien, and Faith VoinovichPatrick Stepanek, also a sophomore, was runner-up.

BEST Medicine Engineering Fair
The 2013 Bridging Engineering, Science and Technology in Medicine (BEST Medicine) Engineering Fair was held in March at the National Inventors Hall of Fame School in Akron.  The BEST Medicine Engineering Fair, hosted jointly by the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA) and The University of Akron, is designed to inspire high school students to pursue their education in the biomedical engineering and medical science fields.  The 3rd annual fair hosted 115 students in grades 6-12 from 28 schools across Northeast Ohio, as well as 51 leading scientists, engineers, and educators in the medical device industry to engage, interact, and inspire.  The top grand prize, made possible by Foundation funding, went to Kanithra Chandra Sekaran of Solon High School.  The prize was a trip to Intel’s International Science and Engineering Fair, held in Arizona in May.  Intel ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition.  At the competition, Kanithra presented her project, “Analysis of the Antagonistic Characteristics of the Extract of Centella Asiatic, a South Asian Herb, on the growth of Cancer Cell Lines, MDA-231 and MCF-7.” 

E CITY Business Plan Competition
In May, Youth Opportunities Unlimited hosted its E CITY Business Plan Competition at the Ernst and Young Education Center in Middleburg Heights.    More than 200 youth from five area high schools participated in E CITY classes throughout the school year, developing business ideas and executing plans.  The competition hosted 11 semi-finalists, who vied for the title of E CITY Northeast Ohio Young Entrepreneur of the Year.  After presenting their final business pitches to a three-judge panel, Vanessa Galvan of T.W. Harvey High School in Painesville emerged with top honors, earning $1,000. Her business, Piñata Time, makes kits that include everything needed to create a piñata.  Julianna Pierson of Shaw High School took 2nd place and $500 for her cat-sitting business, which includes toys and supplies.  Both Galvan and Pierson will compete for $10,000 in the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship national business plan competition, to be held in New York in October. 

Scholarship of Entrepreneurial Engagement
The Scholarship of Entrepreneurial Engagement’s (SEE) Economics and Entrepreneurship program hosted a business plan competition in which 600 students from 15 schools in Northeast Ohio participated.  The five first place winners were:

Allison Karman, Hudson High School – Teacher, Ms. Betty Banks-Burke
Art Perkitny, Avon Lake High School – Teacher, Mr. Adam Burgess
Christopher Kosley, West Geauga High School – Teacher, Ms. Danielle Emans
Deryk Trautman, Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School – Teacher, Mr. Dathan Cole
Tyler Hicks, Revere High School – Teacher, Mr. Jeff Dallas

Also honored at the SEE recognition event were Hudson High School student teams who participated in a Science Concept Plan Competition, under the supervision of teachers Ms. Kathy Sfiligoj and Ms. Sue Conroy:

Zeyd Ozgur, Timothy Zhai, Yi Wei and Christopher Johnstone
Joey Cahill and Mike Mougey
Ashley Reed
Eun-jai Kim, Sean Newby, Kevin Payravi, Charlotte Tam, and Aaron Tian
Elizabeth Bashian, Katie Maggio, Natalie Stiles, and Casey Watson

New Online Course Teaches About the Innovation Economy of Northeast Ohio

June 26, 2013

Introduction to the Innovation Economy of Northeast Ohio is a new, free online course that allows students, teachers, and citizens to learn about the entrepreneurial ecosystem and innovation economy of Northeast Ohio.  Developed by Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio, with the cooperation of The Ohio Academy of Science, this course features more than 50 instructional videos authored by three dozen leaders of Northeast Ohio’s innovation economy. 
The videos are grouped into seven different content tracks:

Track A – helps you understand the challenges and opportunities of the future and what you personally can do to prepare yourself for that future.

Track B – provides an overview of the primary, collegiate and youth entrepreneurial ecosystems in Northeast Ohio.

Track C – helps you understand what it means to be an entrepreneur, how new ventures are funded, and explains patents and intellectual property.

Track D – provides dozens of real world stories about local entrepreneurs and the challenges that they have faced.

Track E – introduces the wide range of venture development organizations, incubators, and accelerators that are at the heart of Northeast Ohio’s economic development and innovation future. 

Track F – introduces some of the entrepreneurial STEM research and development programs and initiatives that are at the heart of the innovation economy of Northeast Ohio.

Track G – provides an overview of the extensive array of entrepreneurship programs offered by Northeast Ohio’s colleges and universities. 

Viewers may select individual videos that interest them, or take a deeper dive and view entire course content or tracks.  The course is targeted to Northeast Ohio high school and college students concerned about how they will make a living in the future, high school and college instructors and counselors so that they can knowledgeably discuss Northeast Ohio’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with their students, and business and community leaders who want to understand more about the economic development programs that will help determine the future prosperity of our region. 

Although best viewed at iTunes University https://itunesu.itunes.apple.com/enroll/DH8-
48V-SQ3
via iPad or iPhone, the course is also available at http://www.neoinnovates.com/ ,
and on YouTube™ http://www.youtube.com/neoinnovates/. The iTunes University site
features additional reading materials, assessment quizzes and the ability to print out student
quiz results if a student chooses to use the course to obtain high school or college course
credit.
 

Free Workshops for Teens and Adults on Starting a Micro Business and Self-Publishing

June 26, 2013

Carol Topp, CPA, author, and entrepreneur, will present two entrepreneur workshops at Hudson Library on Tuesday, September 17. They are free and open to the public, but registration will be required.

In the afternoon, Ms. Topp will present her well-known Micro Business for Teens workshop, based on her books on the topic and her program produced in 2012 for Western Reserve PBS.  The workshop will provide the basic information on business ideas for teens, how they can start a business, and how to manage it once it’s launched.

In the evening, she will present a workshop for adults and teens on self-publishing. Digital media is creating many new possibilities for self-publishing of both fiction and non-fiction, including children’s books, family histories and genealogy, and how-to books.  Carol will offer tips gleaned from her experiences as an entrepreneur, CPA, and self-published author.

More details on times and registration will be available later in the summer on the Hudson Library website:  www.hudsonlibrary.org.

Northeast Ohio STEMM Forum Educates and Energizes Students

November 26, 2012

The 6th Annual STEMM Invention, Commercialization & Entrepreneurship Forum, held on September 29th at Hudson High School, built on the theme “Believe in Ohio as a great place to live, learn, create your future and leave your mark on the world.”  Along with their teachers and parents, nearly 500 middle and high school students attended from 40 schools in Northeast Ohio.  Sponsored by Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio (EEO) and The Ohio Academy of Science, and with support from the Foundation, this exciting event was designed to inspire young people to consider how they can apply STEMM learning to the marketplace through invention, commercialization of their ideas, and entrepreneurship.

Ms. SumpThe event was co-hosted by Mr. John Klipfell, Executive Director of EEO, Dr. Julian Earls, retired Director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, and Dr. Lynn Elfner, Chief Executive Officer of the Ohio Academy of Science.  Mr. Klipfell introduced Dr. Luis Proenza, President of The University of Akron, as the first keynote speaker.  Dr. Proenza talked about the critical importance that invention, innovation, STEMM commercialization, and entrepreneurship will have in the future.  Dr. Proenza was followed by Regent Vinny Gupta, Chair of the Ohio Board of Regents Innovation, Technology Transfer and Commercialization Task Force.  Mr. Gupta discussed the increasing emphasis that Ohio’s colleges and universities are placing on STEMM commercialization and the offering of entrepreneurship instruction to their students.

Dr. KapadiaStudents were impressed and inspired by the lineup of speakers:  Ms. Elizabeth Sump and Dr. Fehmida Kapadia discussed developments in regenerative medicine; Dr. Katrina Cornish spoke about bio-fuels and bio-emergent material developments; Dr. Brian Davis discussed biomedical engineering developments; and Dr. Robin Selinger talked about liquid crystal applications.  Also presenting were Mr. Paul Hoogenboom, who discussed advanced material developments; Ms. Sheila King, who spoke about software developments; and Dr. Kurt Sacksteder, who provided an update on NASA’s plan for space exploration.  Dr. Sasi Pillay discussed information technology developments; Dr. Valerie Lyons discussed advanced energy; and Dr. Christopher Chengelis covered new developments in pharmaceuticals.  Dr. Ali Dhinojwala delivered sessions on both polymer science and nanotechnology. 

Ms. Germaine Polensek, Cuyahoga Valley Career Center Marketing and Entrepreneurship Instructor, remarked, “What an amazing experience for my students.  I saw my students come alive before my eyes as they learned about the exciting developments that are taking place in Northeast Ohio.  For many, it changed them and their life trajectory as it brought into focus the exciting opportunities they could have in the future.”

To learn about opportunities for your students to attend next fall’s Forum, contact John Klipfell at 440-821-2357 or jklipfell1@aol.com.

Junior Achievement’s Fourth Grade Our Region Program Adds Entrepreneurship

November 26, 2012

Junior AchievementLast spring, Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio helped pilot a new version of the JA Our Region program in three fourth-grade classrooms at Taft Elementary School in Ashland, Ohio. The new JA Our Region program, requested primarily by fourth grade teachers, is available now for use during the 2012-2013 school year. The program introduces students to entrepreneurship and shows how entrepreneurs use resources to produce goods and services in a community. Students solve problems by weighing risks and rewards. Following participation in the program, students will be able to analyze how entrepreneurs use resources and work with each other to produce goods and services in a community, and recognize the skills, tasks, and concepts an entrepreneur must master to start a successful business.  

JA programs correlate to Ohio social studies, English, and math standards, as well as the Common Core State Standards in English/language arts and mathematics. The new JA Our Region program includes five 45-minute sessions that are led by a community volunteer, including: 

  • Session One:  Am I an Entrepreneur?
  • Session Two:  Regional Resources: Tools for Entrepreneurs
  • Session Three:  The Hot Dog Stand
  • Session Four:  Entrepreneurs are Problem Solvers!
  • Session Five:  My Region in the World
Helpful Junior Achievement Links

WVIZ/PBS Pilots Classroom Program on Entrepreneurship

November 26, 2012

CEO Global ForesightWith Foundation funding, WVIZ/PBS began broadcasting a new, 30-minute television series this fall titled “CEO Global Foresight.” This series features interviews with leading entrepreneurs and CEOs about new innovations and trends and their vision of how they may impact our lives. Speakers share their insights on where the jobs are likely to be, how to stay ahead of and capitalize on change, and the future of American innovation and entrepreneurship. Some episodes included: Virgin Galactic: Space Vacations, with CEO George Whitesides, Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center: Winning the War Against Cancer, with CEO and Chief Investigator Dr. Edward Benz, and iRobot: The Future of Robotic Technology, with CEO Colin Angle. This program airs on Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. and encores Sundays at 9:30 a.m.

To capitalize on both the fascinating and educational nature of this program, WVIZ/PBS is piloting use of the program in high school classrooms and entrepreneurship clubs across the region. Teachers volunteered to show the series and to conduct classroom discussions on the value of and need for entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial spirit. They are being provided with a DVD of each of the 13 shows, along with a teacher’s guide to stimulate conversation. At the conclusion of the program, teachers will provide feedback on the series and its value as a classroom tool.

If you are interested in learning more about the program or about how your classroom can participate, contact Kent Geist at 216-916-6150 or kent.geist@ideastream.org.

Lemonade Day NEO Seeks School Partners for 2013

November 26, 2012

Lemonade DayIf the success of Lemonade Day 2012 is any indication, our region is brimming with many fledgling entrepreneurs who bring the promise of talented and innovative leaders of tomorrow to Northeast Ohio. Preparations are already beginning for 2013 as new school and classroom partners plan to participate in this free program in spring 2013. A kickoff meeting will be held on January 16 at The Burton D. Morgan Foundation office for all partners planning to be part of Lemonade Day 2013.

Lemonade Day – which is not just one day but spans the spring and summer months – is a national program brought to the region by University School’s Entrepreneur Institute. The mission of Lemonade Day is to help prepare youth for life through a fun, experiential program infused with life skills, character education, and entrepreneurship.

Begun in Houston in 2007 by Prepared4Life, Lemonade Day arrived in our region in 2011 and has been growing ever since. Last spring, nearly 1,200 children in grades 1-8 set up lemonade stands across Northeast Ohio and learned valuable lessons on budgeting, goal-setting, customer service, repaying investors, teamwork, and philanthropy. Students operated stands in neighborhoods, outside local businesses, along parade routes, and at youth sporting events. The program had 27 community partners in 2012, including public, private, and charter schools, and area youth organizations.

Lemonade DayThe Burton D. Morgan Foundation is proud to support this initiative, along with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Hudson Economic Development Corporation, Heinen’s Fine Foods, and Kovach Design. If you are interested in learning more about Lemonade Day or becoming a community partner or sponsor, please contact Jessie Jones, Assistant Regional Director, at 216-831-2200, ext. 7456 or jjones@lemonadedayneo.com.

National Entrepreneurship Education Forum Held in November

November 26, 2012

National Entrepreneurship Education Forum Held in November“Dream Big… Nurture the Entrepreneurial Spirit!” was the theme of the 30th Annual National Entrepreneurship Education Forum held last month in Atlanta.  Approximately 200 educators from across the country and from as far away as Mexico, Costa Rica, and Nigeria gathered to build their skills, network with their peers, and meet both established and student entrepreneurs.

Organized by the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, the conference featured successful entrepreneurs who provided inspiration for the week.  John Hope Bryant, founder of Operation HOPE, was the opening speaker.  The author of Love Leadership: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World, Mr. Bryant serves President Obama on the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability.  Other featured speakers included Craig Larson, a successful serial entrepreneur who addressed “Making Big Dreams Work,” and Lisa Gipson, National Training Manager for Chick-fil-A, who shared insight into the success of the family business mega-chain. 

Conference attendees were inspired and energized by dozens of informative sessions led by entrepreneurs and fellow educators.  Presenters from Ohio included:

  • Deanne Nowak, Ph.D., Bob Gralnick, and John Overman of Gilmour Academy, who talked about strategies they used to cultivate interest, obtain funding, and build an integrated program from Montessori through grade 12 and beyond;
  • Greg Malkin, Director of the University School’s Entrepreneur Institute, who discussed how to help students learn to take a creative but disciplined approach to decision-making and leave them with skills that can have a real impact on their lives;
  • Michelle I. Spain of Walsh University, who talked about how students can create a personal social configuration of potential influential resources and the application of three conceptual frames and interdependent approaches to e-learning;
  • Carol Topp, host of the PBS program Micro Business for Teens, who shared inspiring stories of teenagers who have started their own micro businesses (each conference attendee received a DVD copy of the program, compliments of The Burton D. Morgan Foundation);
  • Deborah Hoover, President & CEO of The Burton D. Morgan Foundation, who talked about the Foundation’s strategies for funding and networking entrepreneurship programs in Northeast Ohio.

Deb and Greg also presented a session on Lemonade Day, a unique experience that teaches students basic entrepreneurship skills through a fun, community-wide, educational program.

Forum sponsors, including The Coleman Foundation, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and The Burton D. Morgan Foundation provided a total of 75 scholarships for entrepreneurship educators to attend. Evaluations from attendees confirmed that the conference was outstanding.

Anyone interested in entrepreneurship as a lifelong learning process is invited to join the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education. Membership information is available at http://www.entre-ed.org/_contact/index.htm.

Save the Dates…

November 26, 2012

Entrepreneurship Educators Retreat

Hurry up – time is running out to register for the annual Entrepreneurship Educators Retreat on Wednesday, December 4, from 4:30-7:30 pm, at University School’s Entrepreneur Institute in Hunting Valley.  This year, a panel of student entrepreneurs will describe their experiences launching and running businesses.  These students will discuss how their teachers and schools inspired them to be entrepreneurs and helped provide them with the skills and confidence to actually start their businesses. This free workshop gets rave reviews every year for its content, networking and sharing opportunities, and complimentary dinner – you won’t want to miss it!  For information, contact Greg Malkin at gmalkin@us.edu, 216-831-2200 x7362.


Entrepreneurship Speaker Series

Once again, University School’s Entrepreneur Institute is hosting a monthly lunch speaker series on the Hunting Valley campus and invites other schools to attend on a first-come, first-served basis (limited space).  This year the series has a theme – food-related businesses. Speakers include entrepreneurs in food retailing, restaurants, production, and local farming. Bus transportation subsidies are available through a grant from the Foundation. Box lunches are provided by Entrepreneur Institute. Contact the Institute’s director, Greg Malkin, for more information about dates and availability: gmalkin@us.edu or 216-831-2200 x7362.


Celebration of Youth Entrepreneurship

On April 18, 2013, University School’s Entrepreneur Institute will host its annual Celebration of Youth Entrepreneurship.  This year’s featured speaker is Carl Sjogreen, a graduate of University School and successful entrepreneur. Mr. Sjogreen will spend the day talking to students from across Northeast Ohio about his experiences co-founding NextStop, an interactive travel guide that has been acquired by Facebook.  The evening session with Mr. Sjogreen will be open to the public and will include an expo for student businesses. Contact Greg Malkin for more information about bringing your class to one of the daytime sessions, or if you have students who would like a free booth at the evening expo. It’s a great place for them to practice their pitches, reach customers, and sell their wares. Contact Greg at gmalkin@us.edu or 216-831-2200 x7362.

In Brief...

November 26, 2012

A Day in Business

Students from Hudson High School’s Business Club hosted their “A Day in Business” expo on November 2. Students secured local businesses to display their products or promote their businesses at the event during school hours.  Under the direction of their teacher and advisor, Betty Banks-Burke, students learned about the ins and outs of various manufacturing, retail, and wholesale businesses that exhibited at the expo. Students also designed a clever admission raffle to raise funds for the club. Among the featured vendors were two students who attracted lots of attention for their start-up, Shotout Entertainment, a DJ business.


Hudson Montessori SchoolHudson Montessori School

It has been a busy season for Hudson Montessori Middle School’s small business, North House Specialties.  Guided by their teacher, Stephanie Hectorne, students put entrepreneurship lessons into practice as they created products from the new organic gardens and sold their wares at the Hudson Farmers Market and their school’s Pumpkin Patch Festival.  Students are now in the thick of the annual Holiday Sale!  Last spring, The Burton D. Morgan Foundation donated funds to assist in the renovation of a shed on the school’s property.  It is now called “The Exchange” and has served as a spectacular education space for the small business.


Micro Business for TeensMicro Business for Teens

Western Reserve PBS has mailed DVDs of a one-hour version of Micro Business for Teens to teachers across the region. Host Carol Topp, CPA, explains the nuts and bolts of starting and operating a one-person business, including interviews with students she has advised. A free teacher’s guide is available for download. This is great to use in your classroom or club. Contact Lisa Martinez if you did not receive a copy - LMartinez@westernreservepublicmedia.org.

President's Message

November 26, 2012

Dear Foundation Friends,

President Deb HooverOur forebears in Northeast Ohio journeyed from faraway places to tame the wild woods of the Western Reserve.  They were hardy and resourceful entrepreneurs. They built farms, businesses, barter systems, and eventually, the Ohio & Erie Canal to transport crops and other products. They created the foundation for future generations of entrepreneurs to invent, innovate, and build successful companies.  Unfortunately, after decades of growth and prosperity, the region's entrepreneurial edge gradually dissipated, and we lost the fervor to start new ventures.

Over the last decade, we have begun to regenerate that entrepreneurial edge through the web of entrepreneurship support activities spreading across the region. But this work must focus on more than the needs of the current generation of entrepreneurs.  We must be cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset in children, teens, and young adults, so that as they envision their futures, they do so with a take-charge, self-actualizing, entrepreneurial spirit.  Young people must understand that they are CEOs of their own lives, and entrepreneurship serves as a powerful tool to help them chart their own destinies.  This basic premise is at the core of entrepreneurship education, and it is the primary reason The Burton D. Morgan Foundation focuses its resources and energy on introducing students to entrepreneurship through Lemonade Day NEO, Junior Achievement, Scouting, Camp Invention, and other youth programs.

We are empowering future generations of entrepreneurs to harness the passion to experiment, invent, reinvent, and bring their ideas to market.  We invite you to join this movement to engage and inspire our youth through entrepreneurship!

Deborah D. Hoover
CEO & President

Lemonade Day Brings Experiential Entrepreneurship Education to Northeast Ohio Youth

June 8, 2012

If you were out and about in Northeast Ohio this May, no doubt you ran across a few enterprising young people selling lemonade and other treats from sidewalk stands. Lemonade Day made a big splash in the area this spring, teaching thousands of young people the simple and substantive entrepreneurship lessons needed to run a profitable lemonade stand. Best of all, they got to use what they learned for a real-life entrepreneurship lesson!

With funding from the Foundation, University School’s Entrepreneur Institute, headed by Greg Malkin, led the Northeast Ohio region’s Lemonade Day initiative this year. Lemonade Day is a national program of Prepared 4 Life; Lemonade Day Northeast Ohio was introduced to our area in 2011, with four schools participating. Many new participants and partners joined the program in 2012: 19 schools, districts, and organizations representing an estimated 1,500 students participated in Lemonade “Day,” which spanned every weekend in May and even a few in June. Schools from Akron, Cleveland, Hudson, Canton, Streetsboro, Youngstown, and Lakewood, and such organizations as the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, Junior Achievement, and the University Park Alliance participated in the program.

Mr. Malkin secured several important sponsorships throughout the region in support of Lemonade Day Northeast Ohio. The Knight Foundation partnered with the University Park Alliance to bring Lemonade Day to the University Park neighborhood in Akron. Kovach Design provided valuable graphic design services for the Lemonade Day brochure, letterhead, and business cards. Heinen’s Fine Foods signed on as a corporate sponsor: every participating student’s Lemonade Day backpack included coupons for discounts on lemonade supplies purchased at any Heinen’s location. The Hudson Economic Development Corporation provided funding for the Lemonade Day curriculum for all fifth graders in the Hudson district, and Hudson Mayor William A. Currin issued a proclamation that May was designated “Lemonade Day Month.”

A few schools will be setting up their stands in late June, including Lakewood City Schools on June 30. Please stay tuned to the Foundation’s Web site for lemonade stand locations and times, and be sure to support our region’s young entrepreneurs!

Northeast Ohio’s Youth Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

June 7, 2012

In 2010, JumpStart developed its now widely recognized diagram of the JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network (JEN), capturing the elements of the robust entrepreneurial ecosystem functioning in Northeast Ohio. Although the JEN includes a component reflecting regional entrepreneurship education resources, we observed that the many youth programs in our region needed further definition in order to convey the full spectrum of all that is available.

Working in concert with our colleagues at JumpStart, we developed a separate, but equally extensive, schematic representation of the youth entrepreneurial ecosystem. Not only does Northeast Ohio boast a wide array of youth resources, the programs also have built healthy collaborative relationships that crisscross the region and create synergistic opportunities for sharing resources, information, curricula, competitions, and classroom and experiential learning opportunities for students.

The Entrepreneur Institute at University School, the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio, local Junior Achievement affiliates, and many more teacher training, entrepreneurship programs, and partners have all built inter-institutional connections that strengthen the experiences for youth. The ultimate goal is to create opportunities that allow students to experience the entrepreneurial process and prepare them to take advantage of the myriad regional collegiate resources that await them after graduation. As they pursue higher learning, there are pathways of support for Northeast Ohio students to start their own businesses through organizations such as the Entrepreneurship Education Consortium, Blackstone LaunchPad, and many more. The story told through the vehicle of this youth network – and its natural connections to the collegiate and adult pathways awaiting young entrepreneurial minds – is a powerful testament to the vision and determination of youth entrepreneurship champions across Northeast Ohio.

University School Celebrates Youth Entrepreneurship

June 7, 2012

On April 18, University School’s Entrepreneur Institute held its annual Celebration of Youth Entrepreneurship, a daylong event featuring three separate appearances by keynote speaker Cameron Johnson and a youth entrepreneurship fair. More than 1,000 students from middle and high schools across Northeast Ohio and 200 adults listened attentively to Johnson’s advice about starting and managing businesses from an early age.

Since starting at the age of nine, Johnson founded more than a dozen successful businesses, many of which he has sold. He started by selling the very popular Beanie Babies, which he astutely purchased first from his little sister until he figured out how to order large quantities wholesale from the manufacturer. Audiences of students and adults were amazed to learn about how Johnson generated thousands of dollars a week while he was still in high school from his idea for an early Internet-based business. By the time he graduated high school, he had a dozen profitable businesses under his belt.

Now 27, the author of You Call the Shots shared his insights with area students on finding success in life by following your gut and doing what you love to do. Johnson has spoken to hundreds of audiences, on subjects varying from business to social media to the economy. In 2009, he was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans by the United States Junior Chamber (Jaycees). Previous honorees include presidents Bill Clinton and John F. Kennedy.

Participating schools reported that students were still buzzing days later about Johnson’s inspiring and humorous stories of the creative thinking and persistence that propelled this young entrepreneur. The evening event, which was open to the public, included a youth entrepreneurship fair. Student entrepreneurs did a bustling business before and after the evening talk, as customers snapped up homemade salsa, Australian animal drawings, and maple syrup.

Sprinkled among the student businesses were displays from organizations that sponsor youth entrepreneurship programs across the region. Representatives from Junior Achievement, Learning About Business (LAB), Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, and the Entrepreneur Institute were among those providing information that evening.

Mark your calendars for next year’s Celebration of Youth Entrepreneurship on Thursday, April 18, 2013, at University School! The featured speaker will be Carl Sjogren, a 1996 graduate of University School, who will share with students his start-up experiences at Google and Facebook, where he now serves as Director of Product Management.

Area Junior Achievement Students Excel in Business Competitions

June 7, 2012

It was a great spring for Northeast Ohio students participating in Junior Achievement high school programs! With opportunities to demonstrate their newly acquired business skills in regional and national competitions, several teams have had notable success at JA Titan, a high-tech, business simulation program, and JA Company competitions.

JA Titan gives students complete control to manage and operate their own virtual “Holo-Generator” business through a simulated marketplace online. Success depends on how well a team makes decisions on price, production, marketing, capital investment, research and development, and charitable giving during simulated business quarters.

In May, a team from North Canton Hoover High School, served by Junior Achievement of East Central Ohio, won the championship and national trophy in the 2012 United States JA Titan Virtual Competition for the second consecutive year. The team was awarded the $1,500 first prize. Congratulations are also in order for Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland’s team from University School, which took home the $500 third prize in the national competition. The University School team went on to make it to the semi-finals of the JA Titan Global Competition.

During the past year, many area students also took advantage of opportunities at their schools provided by JA to learn how to organize and operate an actual business enterprise, through the JA Company Program. The program culminates in regional Business Challenge competitions, where students can showcase their new business skills and company achievements.

“JA Business Challenge places high school students in the CEO’s seat and increases their understanding about the nuances of running a business in a competitive marketplace,” said Dawn L. Campanelli, President of Junior Achievement of East Central Ohio (JAECO).

At JAECO’s regional JA Business Challenge in May, students' companies were judged in four areas: an annual report, a two-minute commercial, a trade show booth, and a four-minute, live presentation to demonstrate the knowledge students gained through the JA experience.

The first place winner was “The Leopard Spot,” started by a team from Louisville High School. Advised by teacher Susan Everhart and local entrepreneur Ben Stoffer, The Leopard Spot is the new school store at Louisville High School that sells coffee and school-related merchandise.

A Marlington High School team took second place for “TietheKnot,” which makes and sells a variety of tie fleece blankets. Business volunteer Jeff Zucal mentored these students in the classroom. The third-place company, North Canton Hoover High School’s “Viking Enterprises – Division 8,” sells sports art. The team was advised by teacher Kim Nidy and mentored by Tom Preston of IBM Security Systems, North America, and Tim Shepherd of Velocity, Inc.

Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland also conducted a regional JA Company Program competition this spring. Nine local Cleveland teams competed for the title of “JA Company of the Year.” Beachwood High School’s “The Green Dream” won first place. The team, which is advised by teacher Greg Perry and mentor Karen Carmen, will compete in the North America JA Company Challenge in Washington, D.C., in July. Avon High School’s “Hashtag Tees” earned second place. “Titan Enterprise” from Lorain High School placed third.

Junior Achievement USA recently announced an intensive, nine-month initiative to “contemporize” the longstanding JA Company program. According to the national organization: “The goal is to establish a multi-dimensional experience that will infuse new technologies, promote the newest teaching methodology, and provide young people with opportunities to learn in ways that are both measurable and memorable.”

Everybody in the Water!

June 7, 2012

When Hudson High School business teacher Betty Banks-Burke challenged her students to present their business plans at a “Shark Tank” competition for a chance at start-up funds, six confident teams jumped right in.

On Monday, May 7, the 10th-12th graders brought their best to the Hudson Library, where a panel of “sharks” evaluated their ideas, presentation skills, and market plans. The students had spent weeks applying lessons from class, conducting research, and seeking counsel from local entrepreneurs who served as their mentors.

The products presented were: BeStep Mat, a super-absorbent, no-slip doormat; The Bottle Band, decorative elastic bands to differentiate personal water bottles in group settings; Pet Safe Systems, auto-release pet cage in case of fire; the Pulse Watch, a device that signals emergency medical services when it detects the wearer’s irregular heartbeat; Reform Golf Pro, a virtual reality golf trainer to perfect stance and swing; and ReTee Bracelets, accessories made of recycled tee shirts and produced by special needs students.

Everyone in the audience was impressed, especially the judges – Julie Messing, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (CEBI) at Kent State University; Steve Millard, President of the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE); Barry Rosenbaum, founder of ARCHAngels investment group; and Leslie Nelson, Senior Program Officer at The Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

The students appeared poised and well prepared as they responded to the judges’ questions about production costs, distribution options, and pricing. In view of the quality of the business plans and the students’ preparation, the judges were challenged to name a single winner. They ultimately selected The Bottle Band, presented by Elaina Arsham, for its creativity and viability. All participants were presented with gifts for their voluntary participation. Elaina, a 10th grader, will receive seed capital from an anonymous community investor, as well as assistance from COSE and others to start her business.

Market Day Excitement

June 7, 2012

On Monday, May 7, and Tuesday, May 8, elementary students from Gilmour Academy and St. Adalbert Catholic School put on their marketing hats (and wigs!) to bring Market Day to their fellow students. The sister schools are located in the Cleveland area.

The joint afterschool program attracted 50 students this year, all eager to try out their marketing savvy. Assisted for eight weeks by volunteer community mentors, students used the TREP$ curriculum to learn the basics of product development, business finance, market research, and salesmanship. At the end of TREP$ (short for enTREPreneur$), the students put their lessons to the ultimate test and launched their businesses on Market Day.

The students had clearly studied their target market carefully. Several businesses sold items they thought were guaranteed to appeal to their friends, including duct tape accessories, decorative pencil toppers, jewelry, and trendy magnets. Others thought about the midday timing of their showcases and decided food would be the ticket to success. Hungry kids hovered around retailers who hawked smoothies, nachos, popcorn, and cookies. Pricing was competitive, and quarters and dollar bills quickly changed hands.

After the two-day market marathon, the new entrepreneurs gathered to discuss their successes and mistakes and to share some lessons learned about business. Most said they were ready to do it all over again next year, just a little better and a little wiser from the experience.

In Brief...

June 7, 2012

CEE Report: The State of Entrepreneurship Education, 2012

The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (CEE) recently conducted a survey of the state education leaders to determine the state of entrepreneurship education in 2012. The goal was to explore where each state stands on providing entrepreneurial experiences, with emphasis on K-12 programs.

Most significant from the survey, 80% of the states said, “Entrepreneurship skills are extremely important to the future.” More than two-thirds of the states said they “have standards that include entrepreneurship competencies,” while even more (76%) said they “offer separate classes in entrepreneurship.” Almost all (90%) said “colleges offered entrepreneurship education.”

CEE was created by the International Enterprise Academy at the Ohio State University in 1980 and has been a private, non-profit corporation since 1998. The Consortium provides an annual national professional development conference for teachers, created and supports National Entrepreneurship Week, and maintains Web sites and produces regular newsletters sharing the work of its members in the field of entrepreneurship education.

The entire report can be viewed on CEE’s Web site.


Scholarship of Entrepreneurial Engagement Program Names Business Plan Winners

The Scholarship of Entrepreneurial Engagement (SEE) is a program of Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio that helps develop the economic, business, scientific, and entrepreneurial literacy of high school students. SEE has two program tracks: the Economics and Entrepreneurship program and the Science and Technology program. During the 2011-2012 school year, more than 1,300 students from three dozen Northeast Ohio schools were involved in one or both of these program tracks.

From the more than 600 students who prepared business plans as part of the Economics and Entrepreneurship program this year, the top 10 plans were chosen for entry into SEE’s Northeast Ohio Student Business Plan competition. In May, five first-place winners were announced at SEE’s recognition event: The Universal Tripod, Lutheran West High School; Keyhound.com, West Geauga High School; The Mobile Life-Saver, Hudson High School; RealSchool Test Prep, University School; and Heated Ice Scraper, Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School.

Approximately 130 students developed science concept plans as part of SEE’s Science and Technology program. Twelve of those plans were selected as finalists for entry into the 2012 Northeast Ohio Science Concept Plan competition. Of those, five first-place winners were named in May: Microbial Bio-Remediation of Oil Contamination through Aerial Application in Gulf of Mexico Marshlands, Hudson High School; Patching the Heart: Cardiovascular Regeneration, Hudson High School; The Study of the Regeneration of Crushed Nerves and Related Nanotechnology, Hudson High School; The Use of an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Reactor in Medical Treatment and Imaging, Hudson High School; and “Victus Tractus” Piezoelectric Shoe Design, St. Ignatius High School.

Congratulations to all SEE participants and winners!


The Burton D. Morgan Foundation’s 2011 Annual Report Available Online

The Burton D. Morgan Foundation 2011 Annual Report, HATCHED: Empowering New Generations of Entrepreneurs, is now available online. Learn more about our collaborations to hatch new ideas that will secure Northeast Ohio's future prosperity: view the interactive flipbook or download the PDF.

President's Message

June 7, 2012

Ten Tips for Young Women Aspiring to Become Entrepreneurs!

President Deb Hoover A few months ago, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel of dynamic female entrepreneurs as they addressed an audience of eager young women still in high school and contemplating their future career paths. The entrepreneurs shared valuable pearls of wisdom about how to capitalize on opportunities and make the most of their education. Here are a few of the tips they shared from their own experiences:

1. First and foremost, follow your passion!
2. Wherever you go, surround yourself with people who will help you to build excellence.
3. Whatever career path you choose, build balance into your life so that you achieve quality of life.
4. Seek inspiring, positive role models who will help you shape your career and your life.
5. Beyond role models, enlist the help of coaches who will give you constructive feedback and then take that feedback to heart so you are constantly improving.
6. Build networks and relationships that will connect, sustain, and guide you during your career.
7. Embrace healthy competition as a strong motivator to improve.
8. Get the very best education and jobs that you can and continue to seek out high-quality professional development opportunities throughout your career.
9. Trust that special inner voice that women have, known as women's intuition.
10. Be audacious!

One last important bit of advice, once you have achieved your dreams, pay it forward and mentor other young women to be the best they can be!

Deborah D. Hoover
President & CEO

Cracking the Code: Young Entrepreneur Ted Clements

November 4, 2011

Barcode ConnectionsTed Clements was a freshman at University School near Cleveland, he heard SpinBrush co-inventor John Spirk encourage students to look around and find a problem because chances are good that the problem – and an innovative design that addresses that problem – can equal an entrepreneurial opportunity. Ted was “hooked” and never looked at anything quite the same again.

But Ted also discovered quickly that simply spotting a problem does not guarantee entrepreneurial success. Soon after Mr. Spirk’s talk, he noticed that the family mailbox was knocked down every time the snowplow came through. Seeing a problem that equaled an opportunity, Ted came up with Mailbox Savers, a device with wood poles designed to keep plows at a distance.

“I was pretty excited and talked to all my neighbors about it,” he said. How many did he sell? “Ummm. No one bought one except my mom and dad.” Afterward, Ted sat down with his teacher, Greg Malkin, to figure out what he had done wrong.  The lessons apparently stuck. By the time he was a junior, Ted won the school’s annual Entrepreneur’s Cup competition with his idea for a used books business called US Books.

Three years later, US Books is still in business, providing a learning laboratory for Malkin’s students. And Ted Clements is now a sophomore at Hamilton College, double-majoring in geology and environmental science. He is also the young entrepreneur behind Bar Code Connections, LLC. He launched the company last year to create QR codes – those black-and-white square codes that a smartphone camera can convert to a Web address and immediately direct the browser to visit (see our QR code for www.lemonadedayneo.org). The business is expanding with the development of a new platform on which clients can conveniently manage all their social media marketing, communications, and monitoring.
We asked Ted to reflect on his high school entrepreneurship experiences and share some of the valuable lessons that prepared him to launch Bar Code Connections as a college freshman.

What were some of the most useful learning experiences in high school?

The guest speakers were great. The stories were inspiring and made me look at things differently…. I remember John Zitzner [founder of Cleveland E Prep School] talking about the importance of teaching entrepreneurship and how it’s useful for all of life, not just if you decide to be an entrepreneur….Also, I really liked having workshops and speakers where you could learn and then the Entrepreneur’s Cup competition, which made it fun.

What is most helpful from teachers?

Mr. Malkin was really supportive. He gave me encouragement but what was really helpful was getting feedback.  I remember I went to him with 10 or 12 ideas I had for one of the competitions, and he would ask critical questions, like ‘What expertise do you have to do this?’ and ‘Have you determined there’s a market for this?’ or ‘Do you know how to build the website that’s needed for this?’  His questions helped me focus on the best ideas.

How could schools teach a simple lesson about entrepreneurship?

Our school had a uniform, so sometimes we’d have “dress-down days.” Usually they’d be set up with a fundraiser, where kids paid to dress down and the money [was donated to a cause].  I always wondered why sometimes it was successful, where lots of kids dressed down and lots of money was raised. But sometimes it just wasn’t, no one remembered or seemed interested.  You could learn a lot from running one of these – figuring out the right advertising and marketing, picking a good day and the right cause, having a strategy for collecting the money. That would be a simple way to get [some basic business lessons and] experience. Plus kids would gain confidence to go up to strangers and pitch. That’s really important. You have to be able to go up to anybody and talk about your ideas.

What do you wish you had learned in high school but did not?

One thing that comes to mind is some sessions or workshops on practical computer skills [like some larger high schools offer]. It would have been good to know more of that stuff so I could do it myself for my business. Not more computer technology classes, but just a way to learn the stuff you need for business, like building a website or using different databases

Boy Scouts’ Camp Manatoc Ablaze with Summer Entrepreneurs

November 4, 2011

 

Boy ScoutsBoy Scouts at Camp Manatoc learned a valuable business lesson this summer – you can earn money while fishing, swimming, and going to archery practice. And how did these Scouts do this? Through the Great Trail Council’s Entrepreneurship Merit Badge career program. With the support of a $10,000 grant from The Burton D. Morgan Foundation, Scouts were able to earn an Entrepreneurship Merit Badge by starting a small business at camp. Some of the businesses included pizza delivery to tents after hours, an ice cream stand, firewood delivery, and a bait shop at the lake. The Entrepreneurship Merit Badge career program, according to Mike Jones, Scout Executive of the Great Trail Council, “is an opportunity for Scouts to develop self-confidence and experience entrepreneurship at an early age, to add practical experience to the theoretical skills and to provide youth with state-of-the-art knowledge from local business people.” This is the fourth year that the Foundation has supported Great Trail Council’s Entrepreneurship Merit Badge Program. And as Mike Jones went on to say, “Our Scouts quickly discovered that a successful business takes hard work, not just a good idea.”

NFTE Pilots New Online Resource for Educators

November 4, 2011

NFTE – the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship – is piloting its new online resource for educators, called NFTE Connect.  This digital platform is intended to “provide the resource materials and collaborative tools that create a clear pathway for educators everywhere to engage in entrepreneurship education.” NFTE’s aim is to share its approach to developing basic business skills with an entirely new group of educators, as well as provide additional resources to NFTE’s corps of certified entrepreneurship teachers.

The site will feature NFTE’s existing library of curriculum, teaching aids, and research, as well as new material specifically designed for it. By assembling these in a single, easily accessed location, NFTE makes it much more convenient for a broad continuum of educators – from entrepreneurship education newcomers to experienced NFTE Certified Entrepreneurship Teachers – to easily access useful information for their classrooms and to connect with fellow entrepreneurship teachers.

NFTE partnered with Pearson Foundation to design and develop the site over the past year and launched NFTE Connect on a limited basis to NFTE-certified teachers in late September 2011.  The developers emphasize that the site still is very much in the pilot phase, as NFTE and Pearson continue to test both content and functionality over the next several months.

Once completed, the site will offer:

  • An introduction to NFTE’s approach to entrepreneurship education;
  • Free, introductory, online materials for teachers new to NFTE;
  • Pathways to enroll in NFTE University or other teacher training workshops;
  • Opportunities for professional development, on demand;
  • Registration options for NFTE University, Exploring Careers, & Bizbuilder trainings; and
  • A means to communicate with other NFTE teachers and build a community of entrepreneurship teachers.

Additional content will be added, including brief videos documenting lessons taught by three master NFTE teachers, the ability to generate online lesson plans, and case-study resources from other Web sources. Also, NFTE will work with Pearson to expand access by non-NFTE teachers over the next year and will solicit feedback from users.

The Burton D. Morgan Foundation awarded NFTE a grant of $50,000 in June 2011 toward the development of the online platform and to help market the new resource to non-NFTE educators.

For more information, visit www.nfte.com or www.nfteconnect.org.

Entrepreneurship: On Youth Radar Screens

November 4, 2011

Two recent national studies of high schools concluded that American teens are attracted to the idea of owning and managing their own businesses.  The results confirm the Foundation’s strategic focus on providing opportunities for Northeast Ohio youth and educators to learn about and experience entrepreneurship.

Among the key findings of the study released in September by Junior Achievement (JA) and the National Chamber Foundation (NCF) were:

  • A majority of high school juniors is interested in entrepreneurship, but are concerned about the economy.
  • Six in 10 juniors have been taught about entrepreneurship or free enterprise. Nine in 10 juniors believe it is important that students are taught about entrepreneurship, free enterprise, and capitalism. Nearly two-thirds would be interested in taking a class on entrepreneurship.
  • Juniors who had been taught about free enterprise felt more positively about it, and were more likely to support limits on government regulation.

JA and the NCF say they will use this study “to raise awareness of the need for additional student education in the areas of entrepreneurship, free enterprise and capitalism…and to further partner to bring JA’s innovative entrepreneurship programs to more students.” To see a summary report on the survey, visit: http://www.ja.org/files/polls/2011-Free-Enterprise-Survey-Exec-Summary.pdf .

Similarly, Operation HOPE, a nonprofit that promotes financial literacy programs, and the Gallup Organization teamed up to ask a wide range of American youth (fifth graders through high school seniors) about their entrepreneurial aspirations. The poll is taken annually as part of Gallup’s ongoing telephone surveys of the U.S. youth. Student responses to the survey questions about entrepreneurship and financial literacy are compiled to produce the Gallup-HOPE Index. The survey results indicated that the overwhelming majority of the nation’s youth had the spirit of entrepreneurs, but that many lacked specific educational opportunities to learn about business or gain practical experience with entrepreneurship. For more on the Gallup-HOPE Index 2011, visit: http://www.gallup.com/poll/150077/Students-Entrepreneurial-Energy-Waiting-Tapped.aspx

Source: The Free Enterprise National Survey: Viewpoints from U.S. High School Juniors, sponsored by Junior Achievement USA and the National Chamber Foundation, 2011.

Source:The Gallup Organization.

In Brief

November 4, 2011

Lemonade Day Rolls Out Across Northeast Ohio
Lemonade Day is a national program focused on elementary and early middle school students experiencing entrepreneurship by setting up a lemonade stand.  Step-by-step guides for both the student and their caring adult are providedLemonade QR at no charge.  A teacher’s guide is also available.  In 2011, more than 120,000 kids across America participated.  Lemonade Day NEO 2012 is planned for spring 2012.  If you would like to learn more about this successful program, please contact Greg Malkin, 216-831-2200  x7362, or send email to info@lemonadedayneo.orglemonade QR

SEE:  Brought to You Now by EEO
The Scholarship of Entrepreneurial Engagement, known as SEE, is now a program of Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio (EEO), headed by John Klipfell.  SEE is a free mini-course about economics and entrepreneurship that high school teachers can easily integrate into existing Economics, Social Studies, or Business courses. For the first time, students can complete an advanced version of the SEE mini-course for college credit through Ashland University (fee required). Contact John Klipfell at JKlipfell1@aol.com if you are interested in learning more about how SEE could work with your school’s curriculum or the dual-credit option.

JAECOLocal Junior Achievement Students Go National
A team of three JA Company students from Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio, took third place at the North American JA Company of the Year Competition.JAECOTheir unusual sign business, Letter Art Photography, takes photos of architectural elements and objects that depict different letters of the alphabet and then uses the letters to make framed, custom signs. The students qualified for the national competition by participating in and winning the regional competition sponsored by Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland. Congratulations to Junior Achievement of East Central Ohio and its enterprising students, and thanks to JA of Greater Cleveland for hosting the regional contest for students from across Northeast Ohio!

Kent State Young Business Scholars' Program Now Accepting Applications
The Young Business Scholars’ Program is a summer program that will take place on the Kent State University campus July 22-27, 2012. Presented by KSU’s College of Business Administration, the program is a five-day business-focused camp for high school students. The top 50 applicants will stay on Kent State’s campus, learn about business, and experience college life. Students will study business disciplines and work in teams to “start” a business. Teams will compete for $1,000 scholarships, to be applied if they attend Kent State University to study business upon graduation from high school. Students who will be juniors and seniors during the 2012-13 academic year can apply to participate in the program. The application deadline is April 30, 2012; for the application and more information, please contact Elizabeth Sinclair, Assistant Dean, College of Business Administration, at 330-672-1286 or easincla@kent.edu.

President's Message

November 4, 2011

President Deb HooverDear Foundation Friends,

These days, there is plenty of coverage in the press about the strength and vibrancy of the Northeast Ohio entrepreneurial ecosystem.  Among its players are venture development organizations, educational institutions, venture capital firms, and incubators.  Our entrepreneurial ecosystem is one of the strongest in the nation and now serves as a model for the economic development plans evolving in other regions.

Less heralded, but equally important, is the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem that is thriving in the region. Youth programs are networked and build strength by learning from and connecting with each other.  The University School Entrepreneur Institute led by Greg Malkin is one uniting force providing lectures, teacher training, and Lemonade Day coordination.  Our four regional Junior Achievement organizations are linked through shared competitions, program ideas, and evolving evaluation techniques. Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio led by John Klipfell helps teachers introduce entrepreneurship into the classroom and celebrates entrepreneurial accomplishments that inspire students for the future.   The Foundation constantly has its radar up to link people, ideas, and opportunities to build collaborative relationships for greater effectiveness and results.

When it is time for young entrepreneurs to head off to college, there are many great ways to for them to pursue their dreams right here in Northeast Ohio.  This fall, I was fortunate to attend the annual Entrepreneurship Extravaganza at Kent State University.  More than 400 high school students gathered for a day to hear from entrepreneurs about perseverance, adaptability, resourcefulness, and creativity.  They also heard about all the ways KSU can support their entrepreneurial aspirations as college students.  KSU is one of many fine collegiate entrepreneurship programs in the region, many of which participate in the JumpStart Higher Education Collaboration Council.

The success of our youth and collegiate entrepreneurship programs hinges on the willingness of caring adults to share their stories and expertise with our young people.  Mentoring opportunities through Junior Achievement and Lemonade Day are a great ways to get involved.  We hope that the stories in this issue of Venture Adventure will get your wheels turning about all the opportunities in the region to engage and inspire students to create entrepreneurial futures.

Deborah D. Hoover
President and CEO

Save These Dates!

November 4, 2011

Entrepreneur Educator Retreat

Who: All middle and high school educators who are involved in entrepreneurship education programs
When: Thursday, December 1, 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm (free dinner included)
What: Panel of local entrepreneurs and student entrepreneurs will discuss what they think entrepreneurship education should look like
Where: University School, 2785 SOM Center Road, Hunting Valley, 44022

 

Celebration of Youth Entrepreneurship and the Youth Entrepreneurship Fair

When: April 18, 2012
What: Cameron Johnson made his first million dollars while still in high school. A nationally known author and inspiring speaker, Mr. Johnson will be speaking to middle school and high school students during several programs throughout the day.  In the evening, he will address the public about the importance of youth entrepreneurship education.  In conjunction with the evening program, a Youth Entrepreneurship Fair will be held where students can promote their businesses and area organizations will present their programs. More than 1,400 students and adults attended last year's Celebration of Youth Entrepreneurship. 

 

Entrepreneur Guest Speaker Series

The Entrepreneur Institute at University School offers a wide range of activities for students interested in the business world, including a monthly guest speaker series. Local entrepreneurs talk about their business experiences and provide a real-world perspective on particular topics.  Past speakers have included a real estate developer, board game designer, manufacturing company owner, and record producer. These presentations start at 12 noon and last one hour.  Lunch is provided for all participants. The Burton D. Morgan Foundation has generously provided funding to pay for bus transportation to bring students from other schools to hear these speakers. Groups of up to 20 students and chaperones can be accommodated. 

To participate in any of the events above, please contact Greg Malkin to RSVP.
Phone: 216-831-2200  Ext. 7362
Email: gmalkin@us.edu

Students Gain a Taste of Success

June 22, 2011

There were the Lemon Crushers, the Lemon Slayers, the Mighty Lemons, the Super Lemons, and even the Lemonaders.

Lemonade stands were everywhere in Hudson and Wooster on April 30 and May 1, as national Lemonade Day premiered in Northeast Ohio.

And while it was not exactly lemonade weather, students from Seton Catholic School and the Wooster City Schools managed to squeeze lemons into a profit.

Lemonade Day started in Houston in 2007. It is intended to provide young people with "a simple, hands-on opportunity to experience entrepreneurship and learn critical life lessons," according to Burton D. Morgan Foundation President Deborah Hoover.

The Foundation sponsored the program in Northeast Ohio by providing a grant to Prepared4Life, the nonprofit that started and runs the program nationally. The grant covered the cost of a license for all interested groups in Northeast Ohio and the ability to buy curriculum materials at a bulk rate. Each participant got a backpack full of ideas, tips and a recipe book. It also included a guide for adult mentors.

It was up to the students to find investors and venues, prepare their lemonade, calculate their costs – adding enough to the retail price to make a profit – and then to promote their stands.

Some made the lemonade from a dry mix. Others used lemons and/or frozen lemonade. One group added oranges. Some sold cookies. Many of the young entrepreneurs said they were using a "secret" family recipe.

According to the plan, the student vendors will pay back their investors and make a profit. In some cases, they keep the profits for themselves. In other cases – particularly in Hudson and Wooster – some of the profits were designated for a charity.

One sign in Wooster told the story: "For Japan and cystic fibrosis," it read. In Hudson, a group whose profits were designated for the local Humane Society, was also selling dog treats.

Nationally, the concept of Lemonade Day is to saturate a city with stands. Early May has become the tradition for the Houston-spawned project.

However, some schools from Northeast Ohio have chosen other dates later in May or into June. Seton chose to have two Lemonade Days – on Saturday and Sunday. Planners from Northeast Ohio are looking for a later date for the designated 2012 Lemonade Day.

Burton D. Morgan Foundation President Deborah Hoover visited stands in Hudson and Wooster on May 1.

"As we sampled lemonade from the stands, we chatted with students about all they had learned about marketing, planning and teamwork," she said. "The smiles – along with profits in the till – tell the story of valuable lessons learned and plenty of fun for these young entrepreneurs. We are looking forward to planning for Lemonade Day Northeast Ohio 2012 on a larger scale."

University School Grad Conquered "Fear of Flour"

June 22, 2011

 It wasn't the easy road, but a decade ago, Warren Brown traded the scales of justice for the job of weighing flour.

He could not be happier.

"Do what you want to do. Do what you love," the lawyer-turned-baker/entrepreneur told students and guests of the University School community in mid-April.

Brown, a cookbook author, former Food Channel cooking show host (Sugar Rush), and owner of a chain of cake and pastry bakeries in the Washington, D.C, area, was the keynote speaker for University School's 2011 Celebration of Youth Entrepreneurship, a program made possible by a grant from The Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

Brown spoke to hundreds of US students and those bused in from other schools during the day. Approximately 350 people attended an open presentation and book-signing in the evening.

For Brown, the day was a homecoming. He graduated from US in 1989. He traced his path from high school to the present for the audiences: A history degree from Brown. A master's in public health from George Washington. A couple of years working in public health education. Law school at GW. A job for the federal government working in Medicare and Medicaid fraud.

Then bam! Brown hit a low point in his life. As 1999 dawned, he told the audience, he and a long-time girlfriend had parted ways. He regretted shaving off his prized dreadlocks – he thought he would be taken more seriously in the legal community without the braided hair – and he realized he disliked litigating.

So he made a New Year's resolution to bring change into his life. One of the ways he chose was by learning to bake. He'd often cooked Thanksgiving turkeys for college friends and hosted dinner parties, but the dessert table was usually empty. "I had a fear of flour," he confessed.

The more he baked – cakes in particular – the more he loved it. The compliments rolled in, but the question loomed: Were the cakes good enough that people would want to buy them? So on a cold January day in 2000, Warren Brown held a cake "open house" with 15 cakes to sample. By the last slice, he knew there was potential.

Thus began a routine: up at 6 a.m. to deliver cakes and then to his government job; out to lunch to buy ingredients and back to work; return home and bake until bedtime.

Ultimately exhausted, he knew something had to give: cakes or the law. His own mantra came into his head: “Answer your calls. Answer to yourself.”

So Brown took a leave of absence from his legal position to try and transition to baker/entrepreneur. As luck would have it, he was in a gourmet cooking store on the second day of his leave. He was explaining his situation to the clerks as he sought their advice on whether or not to put Crisco into his butter cream icing. (Crisco makes the icing hold up better, but purists don’t like it.) A shopper overheard the conversation – and about this man’s attempt to leave what his friends called “a good government job” to become a baker. She handed him her card and suggested he drop off some samples. The shopper was the food writer for the Washington Post, and after she and colleagues tasted the cakes Brown later toted into the Post, she wanted to follow his transition.

The subsequent story served as a fast-acting baking powder for his business: Sales just rose and rose. But he maintains that it is the quality cakes and the icing that have kept sales high and allowed his business, CakeLove, to expand.

For instance, Brown and his helpers measure flour on a scale. It’s more precise that way, he says. His icing has a meringue-like base that absorbs flavorings (like raspberry) better than other butter cream icings. In 2006, Brown was recognized for his entrepreneurial passion by the Small Business Administration and given the business person of the year award for Washington, D.C.

“I love what I do,” he told the audience. “I love the pursuit of my passion.”

In Brief...

June 22, 2011

Coming May 20: Hudson's version of The Apprentice

Come rain or shine, the Hudson High School Business Club will be holding its Apprentice Challenge on Friday, May 20. Students from several Hudson High School clubs will be competing to sell the most cupcakes from Main Street Cupcakes. The challenge will take place from 3:30p.m. until 6:30 p.m.

The GCAT (Environmental Club) will be on one end of the small Green at First and Main. The Girls' Rugby Team will be on the other end. The German Club will set up in the Jo-Ann Fabrics plaza, while the high school student government organization will be on the Western Reserve Academy Campus. The Random Acts of Kindness Club will be outside the Hudson Library & Historical Society, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes will be near the gazebo on the main Green.

Teacher and Business Club Advisor Betty Banks-Burke will not be saying "You're fired" in Donald Trump-fashion at the end of the competition. Rather, the club that receives the most money from sales – minus expenses – will receive 25 percent of the net sales for their club's budget. Fifty percent of the total proceeds will go the winning club's charity of choice, and 25 percent will go to the HHS Business Club for sponsoring the event.

 

East Woods trade show June 7

Fifth graders from East Woods Elementary will showcase their wares from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. on June 7 at the school's Young Entrepreneur Trade Show. The exhibit culminates months of study and work. The students – in groups or individually – design a business around a product or service they think fills a customer need. The product or service must be completely original or a significant and unique change/improvement to something that already exists. They come up with a slogan or motto, plan a marketing strategy, and prepare a budget. In 2010, teachers Marie Rourke and John Brockway won a prestigious national award for excellence in free enterprise education for the project.

 

Fundraising webinar scheduled

Burton D. Morgan Foundation President Deborah Hoover will conduct a one-hour webinar on resource development June 15. Dollars and Sense: Raising Funds for Entrepreneurship Education will start at 4 p.m. and is one of the regular webinars conducted by the Columbus-based Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (CEE). To register for the free web-based discussion, go to http://www.entre-ed.org.

 

Site offers insight into business

A look into the life of a successful teen Web entrepreneur, tips for youthful job seekers, and stories about teens and green awareness are available from a site operated by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Knowledge@Wharton High School, KWHS for short, is an online journal for students interested in finding out more about the world of business. The site is accessible at http://kwhs.wharton.upenn.edu

 

Learning is the BEST medicine

On April 2, more than 100 middle and high school students participated in the BEST Medicine Science and Engineering Fair in Akron, hosted by the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron. The fair was organized by the Institute to stimulate interest among young people to become physician scientists or biomedical engineers and also to help educators motivate their students to be interested in science. The winners were: Arian Daneshvar and Alex Russell - Firestone High School (first place); Abigail Freitag and Louis Ray - Firestone High School (second place); Donghan Kim and Kyunghan Kim - Hudson Middle School (third place).

President's Message

June 22, 2011

Lemons and Lessons!

This spring, Lemonade Day Northeast Ohio provided the secret recipe for learning and fun! Several hundred students worked with teachers, parents and other caring adults to creatively and strategically plan their lemonade stands, learning basic entrepreneurship skills along the way. The program is organized nationally by Houston-based Prepared4Life, which supports Lemonade Day from Alaska to Nebraska to Maine. The early results from the NEO pilot have proved so exciting and promising that we plan to expand the program's reach for 2012. We hope many more schools and organizations will see the value of helping students to have a hands-on business experience with real-life products, marketing and profits.

On May 1, we traversed the region to see how the stands fared and were thrilled to hear the stories shared by students about their recipes, investors, marketing techniques and plans for their profits. Younger siblings enthusiastically participated, practicing to become the lemonade stand entrepreneurs of the future. We believe Lemonade Day NEO is off to a great start and we are anxious to begin planning for next year!

We thank all the students, parents, teachers and other advisors to the program who made the pilot a success. We also thank Julie Eberly, Executive Director of Prepared4Life, for her support of the launch of Lemonade Day in our region. We are looking forward to 2012 and ensuring that our aspiring young entrepreneurs become part of the fabric of entrepreneurship connecting our region.

Deborah Hoover
President & CEO

New Badge Challenges Scouts

October 22, 2010

For 100 years, Boy Scouts have earned merit badges for dozens of activities from archery to rifle shooting and rowing.

For the last three years, Great Trail Council scouts have had a new badge to earn: entrepreneurship.

Structured with a three-year, $100,000 grant from The Burton D. Morgan Foundation, the badge is not easy to earn. Scouts must put together a business plan that considers need, pricing, the cost of advertising, and competition. They must then actually start a small business.

Still, since 2007, more than 800 young men have put in the necessary effort.

"It's a very time-consuming merit badge," Josh Cunningham explains.

Cunningham, who is studying economics and political science at Heidelberg University, spent seven weeks this past summer at Camp Manatoc in Summit County, guiding 201 scouts through the creation of a business.

Earning the badge at summer camp this year even came with pre-reqs. Before showing up the first day of camp, entrepreneurship-badge candidates had to interview an entrepreneur and come with a business idea in mind.

Dan Kosich and Jordan Kelley from Richfield got out of the gate early.

"We had a brainstorming session," Kelley said. "We asked, 'OK, what do people want and what do they need?'"

By Tuesday night of camp week, the Revere High School sophomores had started a business, earned some money – and learned they had a lot more to learn about building a successful business.

Camp Manatoc can house several hundred young men each week. And on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, pizzas are delivered to the mess hall. Scouts pick up their pizzas and head back to their camps.

Kosich and Kelley figured many of their fellow campers would be happy to pay an extra dollar to have the pizza delivered to their campsite. So they took orders, got a wagon, loaded up the pizzas and made the rounds.

Their reward: $24 to pocket and the potential to really increase sales.

At Wednesday morning's review session, Cunningham challenged them to improve their advertising to get out the word.

"Are you happy with the price?" he asked. Yes, they decided, a dollar seemed reasonable – if more customers could be found. The answer seemed to be more advertising and more posters.

The individual campers shared other money-making ideas too. One student brought glow sticks to sell on campfire nights. Another suggested bringing in root beer, which isn't sold in the canteen.

Cunningham used the exercise to help the Scouts understand the role of entrepreneurship in the U.S. economy.

The entrepreneurship badge is now offered by several hundred Boy Scout groups around the country. It was an initiative originally funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which is now partnering with The Burton D. Morgan Foundation to bring entrepreneurship education to five liberal arts campuses in Northeast Ohio.

Imagine It: An E-teacher in Every High School

October 22, 2010

When it comes to entrepreneurship education, Greg Malkin is both a teacher and a teachers' teacher. For the last five years, he has had a personal mission: to see that there is an inspiring entrepreneur educator in every high school in Northeast Ohio. Not only has he created a successful entrepreneurship program at University School, he has conducted seminars to introduce and encourage other teachers to add what he sees as an essential element of secondary education.

Malkin became an educator after achieving success as an entrepreneur. A Cleveland native and graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he founded Technical Software, Inc. in Cleveland in 1983 and sold it to Rand Worldwide in 2000. He then became executive vice president for IMAGINiT Technologies, a division of Rand.

He now teaches math and business courses at University School, where he also heads the school's Entrepreneur Institute. In 2010, he was named Teacher of the Year by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), one of 25 people worldwide to share the honor. We asked him to share how he became such a passionate advocate for high school entrepreneurship education.

How did you make the transition from business to education?

For a number of years prior to becoming a teacher, I had been volunteering with Junior Achievement and E CITY. I really enjoyed the experience and found it very fulfilling. After selling my business, I was searching for the "next act" in my professional life and reflected on my satisfaction with the volunteer teaching I had done. Also, I did quite a bit of adult education when I owned my business, even teaching a course at the University of Akron in the late 1980s.

I researched various programs and options and chose to attend Ursuline College's one-year Master's of Education program. I graduated in 2005 after student teaching at Lakewood High School and Gilmour Academy. I started at University School in the fall of 2005.

When did you specifically realize the value of entrepreneurship education? Was it any one single "ah ha" moment?

Working as a volunteer with E CITY made me understand the impact of entrepreneurship education on young people. In high school, educators have a real opportunity to open students' eyes to the advantages and challenges of entrepreneurship, and to motivate students to pursue their passions by starting their own business.

Considering the outreach you have done to attract more teachers, how do you view yourself?

I have a passion for entrepreneurship and want to share that passion and have an impact on the Northeast Ohio community. When I was in high school, my dream was to start and grow a successful business. I know there are many high school students who share that dream. But many don't know how to take the dream and turn it into reality. One key to making this happen is a motivated, informed teacher.

My dream today is to have an inspiring entrepreneur educator in every high school in Northeast Ohio.

A lot of people would say that entrepreneurs are born. Obviously, you think there is more to the equation. Please explain.

I absolutely do NOT believe that entrepreneurs are born. Everyone has a passion for something. Some desire to pursue that passion as a profession or job. The skills to turn an idea or passion into a business are just that, skills. These skills can be taught – skills like accounting, delivering an elevator pitch, understanding the importance of competitive advantage, or employee motivation. Or the skills can be purchased, either by hiring employees or outsourcing.

Of course, not everyone will obtain the same level of success. People bring different levels of ability to entrepreneurship. But everyone can and should take ownership of their lives. And ownership, literal (financial/legal) and figurative (attitude toward life choices), is the key characteristic that every entrepreneur requires. This mindset is within everyone's grasp.

How would entrepreneurship education at a secondary level have benefited you as an entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurship is about taking action. The best way to ultimately learn about starting and growing a business is by doing it. The sooner and more often a person has the experience, the more success they can achieve. The best entrepreneurship education includes opportunities for the student to experience entrepreneurship first hand, such as business plan competitions, student-run businesses, internships, or simulations. However, these experiences need to be in a context of acquiring the basic knowledge and skills of an entrepreneur, such as accounting or marketing or legal.

I started my first business in college. But I had no prior education in high school about how to track my sales, account for my revenue, or deal with customer objections. I believe my college business would have been more successful if I had had prior exposure to entrepreneurship education.

Emmanuel Christian Academy Students Learn: Turning a Profit Can Take Time

October 22, 2010

It wasn't a good market day. People just weren't buying.

The colorful tables covered with chips and Cheetos were pretty much being ignored. A few bottles of water were selling, but not many. Homemade cookies at 50 cents each were an exception. The big items – logo T shirts and handcrafted belts –were just not moving at all.

It seemed as though sales should have been better. The concession tables were set up at the University of Akron around lunch time in the business college, no less, where there should be an appreciation for entrepreneurial endeavors.

The Emmanuel Christian Academy students behind the concession tables at the UA business school in July were in Week Two of a three-week camp conducted by Cleveland-based E CITY and underwritten by a grant from The Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

Using curriculum from the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, E CITY runs summer business camps that seek to connect inner city students with the concept of one day starting their own businesses. Wanting to start and own a business, in turn, helps them relate their school lessons to the real world.

At the beginning of the Emmanuel Christian Academy camp, the students learned about business, investment, and making money. They were challenged to come up with a business idea and prepare a business plan, one that looked at competition, the cost of raw materials, profit margins, and mark-ups.

The middle school students had to consider their own strengths, what they might do best to turn a profit. They were then provided $50 each – from the grant money – and driven to a wholesale club where they could use their seed money to buy the raw materials for a business.

The University of Akron provided tables and space for the young entrepreneurs to sell their goods.

On market day, "the students with small consumable items did better than the students with larger, more expensive items," said teacher Martina Keys. "They learned that not everyone is prepared to make that type of spontaneous investment."

One student – a purveyor of small goods – stood out that day.

Rodney Shufford took seriously that admonition about looking to his own strengths. One of his favorite networks is the Food Channel. In particular, he likes The Ace of Cakes. He has taken some cake decorating classes at an area craft store and knows he someday wants to be a pastry chef and run his own bakery.

So he used his money to buy ingredients – flour, sugar, shortening, eggs – and turned out dozens of cookies. Chocolate chip. Sugar. Icing-covered. He bagged them individually and charged 50 cents each. The customers came.

For the others, success came a little later. The students returned to camp to consider a way to improve business. They soon set up another another "trade show" – this time at a local church – and did lots of advertising. The show attracted parents, friends, and church members.

The second time around, the selling was brisk.

In Brief...

October 22, 2010

Attention young entrepreneurs:

Student entrepreneurs have a special invitation to attend the 28th Annual Entrepreneurship FORUM on Sunday, November 14, at the Hyatt on Capitol Square in Columbus.

This one-day opportunity to exhibit and sell your entrepreneurial ventures is totally FREE and includes participating in the luncheon and listening to speakers. It is part of the annual Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education Forum that is being held in Columbus this year.

Entrepreneurship teachers at the conference will want to talk with "real, live, young entrepreneurs" and perhaps buy your products and services too. Check out the conference details, download the application, and FILL IT OUT to be a part of the Marketplace for Young Entrepreneurs.

Deadline for applications has been extended to October 21, but space is limited. Applications can be found at: www.entre-ed.org/_network/students.doc Send completed applications to Cathy Ashmore, cashmore@entre-ed.org

Positions available at Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio has several job openings, including the position of development director. The Akron-based JA chapter is responsible for programming in a 12-county area. For more information, visit akronarea.ja.org/work.html

Learn by playing

Not everyone can earn the bucks that pro football players make, but before running down the field, some of those guys ran up huge debts. Among them was New Orleans Saints player Drew Brees, who had so many credit cards and bills he couldn't make all of his payments. He now wants to teach others not to follow in his financial off-the-field footsteps.

So together, the National Football League and VISA have put together a game to teach youngsters about personal money management. You can find Financial Football at www.practicalmoneyskills.com/games/trainingcamp

Another financial literacy option – without an NFL theme – is Burning Money, a reality game consisting of videos and interactive lessons. It's available free to teachers from Foolproof at www.foolproofteacher.com

Student video chosen for textbook

Part of a video made by Gilmour Academy graduate Steve Seliskar has been chosen by McGraw-Hill to be included in a new undergraduate marketing textbook, Basic Marketing, 18th Edition.

The interview of Mal Mixon, CEO of Invacare, was one of several entrepreneur videos produced by Gilmour students as part of the school's new entrepreneurship education program last spring. The entrepreneurship program was launched with a $5,000 grant from The Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

E Prep students hear University School speaker

Several students from Cleveland's E Prep School recently got to hear a teacher-turned-entrepreneur speak at University School.

Mike Barrett coached and taught history at US in the 1990s. He left the school in 1999 to start Shared Funding, which provides alternative health care plans for employers. He returned to University School, also his alma mater.

Barnett returned to University School as part of the school's monthly entrepreneurial guest lecture series. A small grant from The Burton D. Morgan Foundation covered the students' transportation costs.

According to E Prep entrepreneurship teacher Ryan Kiddey, the visit "had a profound impact" on his middle school students "by motivating them to not only achieve academically in hopes to attend US, but also to become future entrepreneurs."

President's Message

October 22, 2010

Dear Foundation Friends,

On October 4, I had the opportunity to attend the White House Women's Entrepreneurship Conference along with more than 200 accomplished women from all across the country. The conference, organized by the White House Council on Women and Girls, provided the forum for the release of a U.S. Department of Commerce report on Women-Owned Businesses in the 21st Century (www.esa.doc.gov).

The report notes that the number of female-owned businesses grew between 1997 and 2007 by 44 percent to represent roughly 30 percent of all non-farm firms in the U.S., adding more than $1 trillion to the economy. While this is encouraging news, much remains to be done to help women create businesses of greater scale. Female-owned businesses are typically in industries that are smaller by nature, employing fewer people, and bringing in only 25 percent of the receipts earned by male-owned businesses.

The conference celebrated the accomplishments of successful women entrepreneurs in the audience and across the nation, but also highlighted the need for entrepreneurship education for girls and boys beginning in the early grades.

The next generation of entrepreneurs will be better positioned to seize opportunities if they have the skills and confidence that entrepreneurship education builds. A key observation from the conference was the advantage young people have if they acquire the language of financial literacy as a basic building block for success, well before they specialize in a field. Mentoring is also a critical element of success and offers a way that adults can boost a student's chances for achievement in school and beyond.

The Foundation's Web site (www.bdmorganfdn.org) lists numerous ways that adults can volunteer their time to help students in NEO become that next generation of high-achieving entrepreneurs!

Deborah Hoover
President & CEO