Posted April 27, 2022 in Articles
From fun games like Twister to IKEA’s functional furniture to the ground-breaking Model T automobile, some of history’s most ingenious business endeavors were created by those who learn differently. According to a study by London’s Cass Business School, 35% of American entrepreneurs identify as dyslexic. In fact, learning differences and entrepreneurship have a long partnership in the business world, making Lawrence School’s dynamic and interactive entrepreneur curriculum a valuable way to encourage middle schoolers to think outside the box, capitalize on their strengths, and dream big when it comes to their future careers.
Lawrence alumni turned videographer, Alex Nixon '14 captured some great footage so everyone can experience this incredible event! Click to watch.
Business was booming at last Friday’s Young Entrepreneur Showcase as students in grades 7 and 8 pitched original ideas for new products and services to fellow classmates, teachers, parents, and a panel of judges who are real-life entrepreneurs. Organized by Director of Middle School Greg Donnellan and made possible through the generous support of Burton D. Morgan Foundation, this annual event gives learners a first-hand look at the entrepreneurship process and encourages them to stretch their creative muscles.
After several in-school lessons on the entrepreneurship process and an intensive brainstorming and development workshop, the school’s gymnasium was abuzz with excitement as each student showcased their innovation. “All the hands-on activities, building our products, this whole experience was a lot of fun,” said seventh-grader Sebastian. “It was cool to meet and talk to the judges, too. They’ve inspired me. And I liked seeing what my classmates came up with.”
Throughout the month of April, these budding business owners learned aspects of entrepreneurship in each of their core subjects:
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Social Studies classes focused on the history of entrepreneurship and learned about Ohio’s long list of successful startups.
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Math classes learned how to determine production cost and forecast potential profit.
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Language Arts classes explored how to name a business, along with creating an attention-grabbing slogan and sales pitch.
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Science classes discussed the stages of product design and development from initial sketches to fabrication.
With those lessons laying the groundwork, students were tasked with independently bringing their ideas to life in a week-long final session. They began by brainstorming and then visually illustrated their ideas through the design of a website or a pretotype (a precursor to a fully-developed prototype). These tangible rough drafts were constructed fully from upcycled materials with the goal of helping students gauge interest and iron out pre-production wrinkles. Nicole McGee, founder of Upcycle Parts Shop, a local non-profit that sells second hand materials, and her team provided construction guidance.
Many students pulled from life experience to come up with products to solve problems they’d encountered themselves. “I play baseball, and I’ve seen aluminum bats break when it’s too cold,” said seventh-grader Will. “So I came up with the Fire Bat. You set a temperature on your bat to make sure it won’t shatter.”
Eighth graders Paige and Oliver teamed up to create Mankow Lax, adding sunglasses inside women’s lacrosse goggles to prevent glare on the field. “From my experience playing lacrosse, when you get thrown a ball, and it’s a sunny day, you can’t see,” Oliver explained. “So we thought this would help. I think making something that you’d enjoy and use is important.”
Once ideas were finalized, the experience culminated with these young entrepreneurs displaying their table-top presentations and delivering a sales pitch designed to spark the interest of would-be customers and investors—some even donned themed outfits to complement their idea. After hearing several unique plans, judges selected their top winners. However, no matter who won, every presentation left an impression.
Said judge Pat Finley, a Lawrence alumni parent and the Founder/Chairman of Vitalia/OMNI Smart Living: “I definitely think there’s future entrepreneurs here. The ideas themselves are original enough that there could be real products here. It’s incredible to see.”
The entrepreneurship experience helps students learn that business success requires more than just one good idea. Imagination and innovation go hand-in-hand with hard work.
Teaching is really about presenting information with the goal of getting students to take it in, engage with it, and then repurpose it in a new way that’s both meaningful and valuable. We educate kids to make a better tomorrow. It’s aspirational, but true. -Mr. Donnellan
A big thank you to this year’s judges:
Jamie Cohen-Kiraly ‘09, Jessica Dragar, Pat Finley, Ilene Frankel, Kathy Vegh Hughes, Anne Meyers, and Frank Perrotta
A hearty congratulations to our 2022 top honor winners:
Right Temp Pillow - adjustable temperature pillow
By Gabby Young, grade 8
JC Sports - custom athletic wear
By Jordyn Cunningham, grade 7
Light Up Gloves - illuminated gloves for night time biking/running safety
By Anna Sweet, grade 8
Glue Pen - drawable glue crafting product
By Ricky Richter, grade 7
Bowling Scanner - uses technology to coach the perfect roll
By Jay Glick, grade 8
Robot Cleaner - a gamified cleaning robot
By Elle Sikora, grade 7
Fantasy Letters - correspondence from your favorite character
By Lauryn Davis & Clara Bowman, grade 8
The Shady Marker - adjustable darkness markers
By Jake Engel, grade 7
Custom Castles - sand castle molds from pics of your home or favorite building
By Dylan Carmichael, grade 8
Frog House - safe refuge for frogs
By Sophia Pittinger, grade 7
The Ball Saver - protects sporting balls left outdoors
By Josh Bell & Austin Roach, grade 8
Fire Bat - regulates baseball bat temperature to avoid breakage and warping
By Will Crooks, grade 7
Made possible through the generous support of:
