EdCorps Year Book 2018-2019

THE '18-'19 YEARBOOK

The EdCorps Community

POWERED BY REAL WORLD SCHOLARS

FROM OUR CEO In January, Real World Scholars turned five years old, which is almost 36 in nonprofit years. And as one can imagine, they've been the fastest, longest, and busiest years of our lives.

And make no mistake – we’ve loved the busy. We were busy working with educators trying to do something new in their classrooms, traveling to communities to reimagine what was possible, listening and learning to what students and teachers needed from the EdCorps experience.

We said "yes!" as often as humanly possible, and sometimes even when it wasn’t exactly possible.

We’ve watched what started as a wild idea grow faster and more furiously than we could reasonably keep up with, evolving from a simple e-commerce platform to a whole universe and community using entrepreneurship to make learning powerful and relevant. And when this many educators come together to do something brave and empowering for their students, you rise to occasion and support them in any way you can. Hundreds of late nights, hundreds of thousands of flight miles, endless resources created for classrooms that needed them yesterday... we’ve truly been building the plane as we flew it.

But today, five years and 458 student-run businesses later, it’s safe to say that we’re in the air.

And rather than grinding to make sure everything doesn’t fall apart mid-flight – which is always a risk when building something new – we can now start actually steering the plane, too. Over the last year, this has meant asking harder questions of ourselves and the people we support, looking for blindspots in our work, and getting clear and strategic about the impact we want to make.

The last five years have been beautiful and rich and overwhelming and formative and messy – a master course in creative problem solving. Now we get to use those credentials and our entrepreneurial brains to shape the next five years, focusing on doing better work alongside more educators, students, and partners who are just as interested in breaking the system and building something better as we are.

Our late nights are definitely not behind us, but now we spend them investing in the long game, the one that makes it so that every young person can see themselves as a capable co-creator in their community. It's not a reality yet – but we'll keep going until it is.

With gratitude,

HOW WE GOT HERE When we got started in 2014, we were a couple of entrepreneurs who knew that the entrepreneurial process could be a powerful learning experience.

It prompts us to learn on the go, get gritty and resourceful, evolve quickly to create something better. We researched what entrepreneurial education existed, and if students had the opportunity to run real businesses in everyday schools. Turns out, there really wasn’t... yet.

With resources from one co-founder's foundation, we set our eyes on a single mission: find a way to bring "entrepreneurship to the core of the education.” (World Economic Forum, 2011). This meant going beyond business plan competitions and after school clubs to weaving the entrepreneurial process into the fabric of K12 education – making entrepreneurship a vehicle for learning for more students.

Eighteen months and hundreds of conversations with educators showed that while most valued

the entrepreneurial process, most couldn't make it happen in their classrooms with their school policies and constraints. That’s where the Education Corporation (EdCorp) was born – a model for student-run businesses, operating directly from the classroom and under our nonprofit umbrella.

We used a pilot in a chemistry class at High Tech High Media Arts to build a platform that supported this vision – a classroom-friendly ecommerce platform. Today, that platform has supported thousands of students, been adopted by communities around the country, and recognized by outfits like Forbes and the White House Next Generation High School Summit.

Since 2014, we've supported 431 classrooms and 33k students who have built businesses in the classroom, donating over $330k to causes they care about. With new possibilities on the horizon, we can only imagine what the next five years will hold.

SCHOOL YEAR AT A GLANCE

145 24

classrooms operated studentrun businesses this year.

states with an active student-run business during the 2018-19 school year.

$87k+ 84%

in profits from EdCorps this year.

of elementary students report that they believe their business is making the world a better place.

6229 111 59

students involved in building businesses.

partner schools that supported students building student-run businesses.

causes and organizations supported by student-run businesses.

50%

of middle and high school students say they hope to start their own business in the future.

145 Education Corporation (EdCorp) noun : a student-run business that is run by a classroom, club, or educational program for the purposes of exposure and learning. : a business that operates as a legal extension of Real World Scholars, enabling classrooms to accept real money for their goods and services.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS In their first year, Ivy Fresh – an EdCorp in Soddy-Daisy, TN – created a dual impact business model. Not only did they work with local park rangers to develop a product that addressed a problem (a vulnerable bat population), 20 percent of their profits went to support Bat International.

IMPACT AFFICIONADOS The (iSH) Co., – a custom vinyl business based in Elizabeth, PA – donated over $3,700 to five local causes, more than any other EdCorp this school year.

EARLY RISERS The youngest class to ever run an EdCorp, Blazer Bombs is run by a Pre-K class at University Charter School in Livingston, AL.

BEST COMEBACK After spending over a year working with users to develop their product, Lightning Orthotics – an EdCorp in Chattanooga, TN – finally made it to market. Fifteen months after launching, 3D-printed orthotics are officially for sale!

DireLights Entrepreneurship Central Coast New Tech High School Nipomo, CA Product: Candles A model for student agency of the EdCorps Community, DireLights was started in 2017 by students in Jennifer Stillittano’s Entrepreneurship Class and has been running a successful business ever since. This year, the team expanded to more than 20 students and decided to focus on marketing and branding. One doesn’t need to look far to see the distance travelled over the course through trial, error, and iteration. In the beginning of the year, students developed the DireLights Style Guide in order to inform consistent branding on their website and social media accounts.

In order to create a cohesive brand, students had to identify what they already knew and what they still needed to learn. They created department goals, sought out feedback from experts, and focused on building positive company culture. Leaning on experts in the

community allowed students to gather valuable feedback on things like SEO and branding while also building their network of meaningful adult relationships.

A student in DireLights, Kailey said, ”DireLights has helped me realize that I want to be a part of a collaborative work environment.” Another student, Zoe, shared, “I think it has improved my accountability, creativity, and communication skills. The opportunity to self-reflect on my entrepreneurial skills allows me to more clearly progress in my personal and academic life.”

These and other students’ “ah-has” only get articulated when they are given space for powerful reflections that translate experience into meaningful learning.

Speak Nice Co. Speak Nice Co. sprouted from the desire to spread kindness through inspirational hard enamel pins.

Students put their creative energy to work, exploring empowering messages and eventually landing on a line of pins that encouraged people to “Think Outside the Box” and that “Mystakes Mistakes are Valuable.” This year, the students introduced a line of tote bags in the same vein.

Speak Nice Co. is run by student entrepreneurs in third and fourth grade who are learning the ins and outs of running a business while creating a lasting impact in the world. Their participation in Queen Bee Market in Del Mar was the first time in the history of the market that students were invited to sell, side by side, with adult vendors.

On top of the excitement sparked by selling their products, members of Speak Nice Co. have had the opportunity to use their business to gain real life work experience. Students conducted sales, learned about money management and cash handling, and experimented with different sales pitches. At the end of the day, for the kids in Speak Nice Co. the real reward was the feedback and empowerment only selling to real customers could provide.

3rd-5th Grade Design39Campus San Diego, CA Student Profits: $1,478

"The ener gy fr om i the n-pe stud rson ents mark . Th ets ese trul kids y dr story know ive incre telli ases ng t heir sale s."

-Ca Teac mie her Dye + F ss, oun der of S peak Nice Co.

25 Designs Web Design El Camino High Oceanside, CA

25 Designs, a web design business run by high school students in Oceanside, CA was founded because students believed they could provide a valuable service (web design) to their community at a price anyone could afford. While they were excited about their business this year, they didn't quite understand how it would unfold. Cut to their first paying client, Budget Bungalows, a bungalow rental service based in Belize, and suddenly, everything clicked into place. Having their first authentic customer, and seeing their revenue grow, was the only motivation they needed to continue on. And with an international client, students realized that they had the ability and resources to market to anyone, anywhere.

Blazer Bombs Pre-Kindergarten University Charter School Livingston, AL

Racially integrated for the first time, pre-k students at University Charter School had a big year ahead of them. The class kicked off their bath bomb business by partnering with a local soap shop owner and her husband, Karl. Karl suffers from epilepsy and working with him prompted the student entrepreneurs to conduct research on epilepsy to learn more about how it affects adults and children alike. The class became so passionate about the cause that they donated a third of their profits to the Epilepsy Foundation (and used the rest to buy a gift for Karl!). Their business wasn’t just a tool for learning – it was a powerful way for them to support causes they care about.

Charmed Gifted Education Inman Intermediate Nixa, MO

A student-run business that sits at the intersection of math, language arts, and science, Charmed is on a mission to “make everyone happy with the hand-made, quality accessories.” To develop their products, students invited parents and community members into the classroom to see their jewelry, headbands, and keychains and give their feedback. Students evolved their offerings based on the feedback of their customers – giving them a taste for iterative, user-centered design and a real-world learning experience at the same time.

Cutting Edge Kids Gifted Education Inman Intermediate Nixa, MO

In its third year, Cutting Edge Kids has developed quite the product line, which includes quirky headbands, pineapple socks, and drawstring bags with inspirational messages. While their vinyl-cut products have been a hit since the beginning, these student entrepreneurs have truly been motivated by the opportunity to use their business to give back to their community. When students learned about #GivingTuesday – a global movement that encourages giving during the holiday season – they decided to join in. Students created an entire social media campaign, highlighting a local animal shelter and promoting how sales of their products would go back to support animals in need of homes. At the end of the day, students were able to give back a portion of their profits and learned a valuable lesson – that you can do well and do good at the same time.

Cutting Edge Designs Engineering + Technology York Suburban Middle School York, PA

While it was founded three years ago, this was the year that the students behind Cutting Edge Designs really learned about teamwork and the ole’ divide and conquer strategy. In this Engineering + Technology Class turned student-run business, students were tasked with identifying their strengths and weaknesses and then place themselves into teams that best suited their interests. These teams included Sales Squad, Production, Inventory, and Administration.

Together, the teams were not only able to continue designing, producing, and selling handcrafted cutting boards and carved wooden pens as the students had before them, they were also able to add custom cornhole boards and lazy susans to their line of beautifully-made products.

Dalewood Developers VW eLab Dalewood Middle School Chattanooga, TN

Run out of one of the VW eLabs in Chattanooga and in it's second year as a student-run business, Dalewood Developers allowed students the opportunity to hone their digital fabrication skills while continuing to provide high-quality t-shirts and gear to local and oncampus customers. And when demand rose, so did students’ commitment to getting the job done. Not only did they put in long work hours during the school day, students often made their way to school on weekends to ensure customer orders were finished by their deadlines.

Forte Apperal Elective High Tech High North County San Marcos, CA

Forte Apparel is a good example of what happens when a student-run business gets really successful. By its third year, the student-run business was screen printing t-shirts for their school community, regional social campaigns, and local businesses – and they had already brought in tens of thousands of dollars in profits. And while mass production had its lessons, this year, students and new teacher Alicyn Henkhaus turned their attention toward offering more original artwork, as opposed to the promotional t-shirts they had been making to date. To make some of these shifts a reality, students decided to go back to the drawing board. Using the Business Model Canvas, a visual business planning tool, they were able to map out their established business and see opportunities for expansion and creativity. As a result, these students have a game plan going into next year that includes expanded product lines and more original student art work.

Global Defenders 3rd Grade High Tech Elementary Chula Vista Chula Vista, CA

Global Defenders is a student-run business committed to education, sustainability, and healing the Earth. From marching in the Earth Day parade to committing to a weekly booth at their local farmer’s market, these students use their business to develop math, science, reading and writing skills, in addition to spreading the word about their mission. Carrying signs that read, “Ask me how we can protect the earth”, students sold their kokedama (translates to “moss balls”) plants and upcycled jewelry throughout their community this year. Global Defenders donates 30% of its profits to organizations that share it’s goal to heal the planet. Students celebrated the end of the year by organizing their own Earth Fair, complete with music, food, and exclusively eco-friendly vendors.

'18-'19 EdCorps

#MCCAFFREY MAKERS

4RCE RECORDS

7th + 8th Grade Robert L McCaffrey Middle School Galt, CA

9th-12th Grade High School for Recording Arts Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA

Product: Recording Studio + Jingles

Product: Luggage Tags

ABC PRINTING

B4REAL FASHION SWAGGERS

Graphic Design Rancho Minerva Middle School Vista, CA

Entrepreneurship Kelly Miller Middle School Washington, DC

Product: Posters

Product: Candles, Pictures + Campaigns

BEE YOU

BRAIN BLOWN

Kindergarten-12th Grade, STEM Chattanooga School for Arts and Sciences Chattanooga, TN

Science and STEM HAFTR Middle School Lawrence, NY

Product: Chapstick + Candles

Product: Fidgets + Ball Bags

BROOKWOOD AQUAPONICS

CAMPIFICATION

AP Environmental Sciences Brookwood High School Snellville, GA

Biology High Tech High San Diego, CA

Product: Soaps, Planter Boxes + Fresh Produce

Product: Camping Equipment

CASCO BAY MAKERS

CITY ART WORKS

COUGAR CO-OP

Science Casco Bay High School Portland, ME

Art City High School Tucson, AZ

Sustainable Sciences Crossett Brook Middle School Duxbury, VT

Product: 3D printed + Laser Engraved Goods

Product: Cards + Prints

Product: Bath Bombs, Lip Balms + Upcycled Jewelry

EAGLE T'S

EC CARES

Graphic Design, Club High Tech High San Diego, CA

Career Development + Entrepreneurship Central Academy of Excellence Kansas City, MO

9th Grade Entrepreneurial Exploration El Camino High School Oceanside, CA

Product: T-Shirts

Product: T-Shirts

Product: Care Packages for Teens

GROWING BUDDIES

HIGH TECH HIGH PET SHOP

1st Grade Foussat Elementary School Oceanside, CA

1st-3rd Grade, Multi-Class Trombly Elementary School Grosse Pointe Park, MI

Science High Tech High Chula Vista Chula Vista, CA

Product:Â Polaroid Magnets + Frames

Product: Hydroponics + Garden Products

Product: Fish Tank Maintenance Devices

DELTA TRADE CO

FALCON CLICKS PHOTOGRAPHY

HOWARD INC.

HR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN

I'VE GOT WORMS

Architecture & Engineering Design The Howard School Chattanooga, TN

Engineering Harrison High School Harrison, OH

6th Grade Design Lab Vista Innovation & Design Academy (VIDA) Vista, CA

Product: Custom Apparel

Product: 3D Printed Goods

Product: Worms, Compost + Compost bins

INNOVATION STATION

ISTEAM FUTURE INNOVATORS

Science The Arts Based School Winston-Salem, NC

Creative Arts Bolivar Middle School Bolivar, MO

Entrepreneurship Bing Wong Elementary School San Bernardino, CA

Product: Apparel

Product: Custom Signs + Homegoods

Product: Laser Cut Home Decor, Fashion + Custom Invitations

KINDER WONDERS

LACREOLE DESIGNS

5th Grade Ivey Ranch Elementary School Oceanside, CA

Kindergarten University Charter School Livingston, AL

Business LaCreole Middle School Dallas, OR

Product:Â Vermicompost

Product: Books

Product: T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Stickers, Decals, Paintings + Signs

INKED

IVEYGOZGREEN

PATHS Woodworking Woodworking/Special Ed Portland Arts and Technology High School Portland, ME

PATHS Woodworking, a woodworking class in Portland, ME, is a student-run business that provides the opportunity for students to take their learning far beyond basic woodworking. Not only are students developing products, but they are also building meaningful connections within their community. Jill Irving, teacher and founder of PATHS Woodworking, invited the residents of Gorham House, a local assisted living facility, to visit her classroom. The visitors jumped right in, working alongside the students – both learning new things and sharing a few skills of their own. Throughout the year, the students and residents of Gorham House continued to collaborate, working together to create and produce new products. When asked about the new relationships, one student said that “it was nice to get to know [the residents] and hear about what they know.�

The students took it a step further and invited a Pre-K class to their classroom to learn about the equipment they were using in the woodshop, later working together to design fun holiday decorations. Through these connections with peers of all ages, students were able to learn, teach, and perfect their woodworking skills while developing an entrepreneurial mindset.

From the Teacher + Founder Jill Irving

"The residents from the Gorham house love coming to school and working with the students on putting the products together.

We make take home kits for one of the residents to bring back with him. The students have really bonded with the residents."

Fan Faces Kicking off their second year, teacher and founder Susan Howey was determined to help the students behind Fan Faces connect with their community.

Once the year was in motion and orders started rolling in, students noticed more requests for petfocused fan faces. In response to the demand, the business released a new product, “PupCake Toppers." Designed in the likeness of a favorite pet, students believed they could produce and sell these specialty cake toppers.

Students began brainstorming a marketing strategy for their new product, which resulted in their first target customers: pet stores.

They reached out to Bow Wow Baketique, a dog bakery in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, which was excited to collaborate. Not only can you find the Fan Faces products advertised at Bow Wow Baketique, the students also negotiated a way for orders to be placed directly at the store. Through this partnership, students have been connecting with and learning from their community, benefiting students and community members alike. Â

4th Grade Trombly Elementary School Grosse Pointe Park, MI Student Profits: $5,346 Over the last two years, Fan Faces has donated hundreds of dollars to pet-related charities, including the Michigan Animal Rescue League and a project that photographs rescue dogs in nature to help provide exposure and increase the potential of adoption.

"Running Fan Faces has empowered my students, given them confidence, connected them to the community and helped them learn to work on a team to solve problems and create."

-Susan Howey, Founder of Fan Faces

Lynx 4R Earth 5th Grade Lausanne Collegiate School Memphis, TN With a year under their belts, Lynx 4R Earth decided it was time to find community mentors to help grow their business. Students chose a diverse group of prospects to serve on a Board of Directors, which included individuals from both the school community and local businesses, and sent recruitment emails to prospective board members.

Once the board was established, students held board meetings, during which they asked questions, shared ideas, and solicited advice on things like production and pricing. Kelly Douglas, teacher and founder of Lynx 4R Earth, described the experience as very beneficial and showed the students the “value of listening to other perspectives.�

The mentorship that the Board of Directors provided pushed Lynx 4R Earth to have their most profitable year to date, which allowed them the opportunity to make donations to multiple organizations in Memphis.

Student Profits: $3,614

Story of Transformation from the Founder - Kelly Douglas

"One student who was unmotivated to complete school work and had poor attendance was recognized to have great tech skills. We picked him to be part of the website builder and management team. He showed massive improvement to complete his work so that he could continue to work on the team. He really was a valuable asset to the team and he knew it."

907 Bobcats 5th + 6th Grade Bowman Elementary School Anchorage, AK Student Profits: $14,695 The fifth and sixth-grade students of 907 Bobcats know how to stay busy, creating products like greeting cards, floral arrangements, beeswax wraps, and kindness rocks.

Linda Hulen, teacher and EdCorp founder, understands the importance of getting students outside the four walls of the classroom and connecting their creativity with the unfamiliar. This year, Linda and her students took a trip to the local rotary to share their ideas with a new audience. Seven groups of students presented to a packed room, sharing about their business, different products, and their unique mission statement. When a professional auctioneer in the audience offered to auction a few of their products, students had to think on their feet if they were going to gain a few new customers.

With $205 of unexpected profit, students learned that being flexible, collaborative, and getting creative are keys to making the most of an opportunity.

"Working with EdCorps has helped my students build their selfconfidence in public speaking. They also learned the various steps in manufacturing, from developing a prototype to calculating costs to exercising quality control."

-Linda Hulen, Founder of 907 Bobcats

FH Grows 7th Grade, 21st Century Skills + Technology Knollwood School Fair Haven, NJ

FH Grows are stewards of the environment and leverage technology to grow their own garden business. Students sell herbs and produce online and in their student-run farmers market. When they’re not working in the gardens, they are trying to solve the environmental problems of our future.

Gardening is a new adventure, but the class had a clear goal for their school garden this year: to reach a bigger audience. One of the most exciting steps they took to reach that goal is the partnership they created with their local pizza shop. Umberto's Pizza now purchases all of their rosemary and basil from FH Grows, and the students even got to name a pie on the menu – “The FH Garden Pizza” – which includes artichokes, basil, onions, broccoli, fresh mozzarella, and balsamic.

FH INNOVATES

FH LEADS

6th Grade, 21st Century Skills + Technology Knollwood School Fair Haven, NJ

8th Grade, 21st Century Skills + Technology Knollwood School Fair Haven, NJ

Product: Customer Dog Tags + Puzzles

Product: Student-Run Incubator

Project Eco Paws Virtual Enterprise Carlsbad High School Carlsbad, CA

It only took a few students to fall in love with some local dogs in the community for Project Eco Paws to be born. Inspired to create dog toys, students got resourceful and upcycled tennis balls and old rope – from local tennis clubs and climbing gyms, respectively – into dog toys. With an eye for sustainability, they’ve since expanded their product line to include eco-friendly leashes, collars, and throw toys.

The students didn’t just design products for their four-legged friends; they also developed their giving campaign around them as well. With a campaign called “Product for Paws,” the business committed to donating a dog toy to the Humane Society with each purchase. At the end of the year, they donated 50 dog toys (and $100!) to the Humane Society.

Eden Bath Essentials Virtual Enterprise Carlsbad High School Carlsbad, CA

Founder, Carol King’s Virtual Enterprise class size grew to be so large this year, that she had to break out into two businesses! And so, Eden Bath Essentials was created and the student's defined their mission and goal to create innovative all natural, organic bath products.

The two businesses combined have made $3,218!

Grit9 Computer Technology + Entrepreneurship Elida High School Elida, OH

Over the past 4 years, Grit9 has been working hard to provide high quality web design and technology services to their customers. From digitizing prints and video tapes to running social media campaigns, the Computer Technology + Entrepreneurship students of Elida High School have been fully immersed in the daily operations of running a business. This year, the students connected with a local web design firm to gain insight on the companies practices - specifically around finding customers. The students even had a video chat with the company’s CEO to learn about marketing and building relationships with clients. With the help of their new mentor, students worked together to create a collaborative, supportive culture - one that would foster the relationships that they hope to build with customers in the future.

KidSmart 2nd Grade Ivey Ranch Elementary School Oceanside, CA

In its second year, KidSmart has (slime, voted on product, shocked by profitability, made greeting cards the year before, The Sunset Market, a local farmers market, gave the students an opportunity to use the selling event to connect with real customers and community members.

Every week students would set up shop next to food vendors, craft booths, and other businesses from the Oceanside area. Students had the opportunity to flex their selling skills and methods of persuasion and gain confidence in their work and ability to converse with new people. Among the students were English language learners, who thrived when given authentic opportunities to share their product with new potential customers and practice their conversation skills.

Instant Fidget Gifted Education LaSalle Springs Middle School Wildwood, MO

Despite what one might expect, Instant Fidget was started by middle schools students looking to support mindfulness. When bringing the business to life, they turned to the community to find the expertise they needed. After some outreach, students were able to put together a Board of Advisors, which included a local bakery owner, police sergeant, on-campus IT project manager, and partnership facilitator. With this wide range of expertise guiding their business, students were able to craft a marketing approach and hone their sales process alongside community members invested in their learning.

Just For You Gifted Education LaSalle Springs Middle School Wildwood, MO

Making personalized scrunchies and fuzzy socks, the students behind Just for You quickly learned how to handle unexpectedness challenges. From the fickle sock fuzz to their scrunchie fabric that didn’t survive the production process, these students had to troubleshoot in real-time and solve problems as they turned up. How’d they get the job done? Patience, creative brainstorming, flexibility, and determination. They finally landed on sellable products, but they never stopped looking for ways to improve their product, which is key for any successful business.

LAUNCH CARD SHOP

LOCO VENTURES

LOVELY CHARMS

Special Education Transition (18-22) Beverly High School Beverly, MA

4th Grade Round Hill Elementary School Round Hill, VA

2nd Grade Ivey Ranch Elementary School Oceanside, CA

Product: Greeting Cards

Product: Notecards

Product: Necklaces, Magnets + Bags

MAGNIFICENT EARTH DOUGH

NEOSHO WILDCAT CREATIONS

Fab Lab McLoughlin Middle School Medford, OR

Kindergarten + 2nd Grade South Oceanside Elementary School Oceanside, CA

6th + 7th Grade Neosho JR High Neosho, MO

Product: Signs + Decals

Product: Natural Homemade Dough Kit

Product: Candles + Concrete Stepping Stones

NORTHVILLE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING STUDIO

OSIDE KULTURE

Technology + Engineering Northern Valley Regional High School Demarest, NJ

Science Northville Central School Northville, NY

9th Grade Entrepreneurial Exploration El Camino High School Oceanside, CA

Product: Scarf Rack

Product: Starter Plants

Product: Apparel, Pop Sockets + Jewelry

MAC MAKERS

NORTHERN VALLEY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

PANTHER PRESS DESIGN CO.

PARACORD PETS

PICTURE WORTHY

Art Beverly High School Beverly, MO

Industrial Technology Sperreng Middle School St. Louis, MO

VW eLab East Hamilton School Ooltewah, TN

Product: Custom Water Bottles + Printed Designs

Product: Pet Collars

Product: Mousepads, Tote Bags + Mugs

REDESIGN

REVOLUTIONARY SHORES

11th + 12th Grade Teacher Education Blue Valley CAPS Overland Park, KS

2nd + 3rd Grade Design39 San Diego, CA

3rd + 4th Grade Carmel Del Mar Elementary School San Diego, CA

Product: POZI Therapy Dough

Product: Undecided

Product: Recycling Bins + Green Products

SLIME APOCALYPSE

SMALL STARS, BIG UNIVERSE

Internship Program The Met San Diego San Diego, CA

5th Grade Palmdale Learning Plaza Palmdale, CA

7th Grade Leadership Program Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders Austin, TX

Product:Â Succulent Plants + Wooden Crafts

Product: Slime

Product: Chapticks, Pins, Care Packages + Earrings

POZI

SAN DIEGO METROPOLITAN ARTISAN

Lightning Orthotics Design Thinking + Digital Fabrication Normal Park Museum Magnet School Chattanooga, TN

The sixth-grade students of Lightning Orthotics have found a way to utilize their Makerspace for good. With the support of a local hospital, students work with various specialists and patients to create orthotics to help people with disabilities accomplish everyday activities like opening a bottle or cutting their food.

With all of the testing and prototyping that goes along with creating such a complex product, students got stuck during their first year due to constant ideation always making changes to meet the needs of individual patients.

At the start of the 2018-2019 school year, Lightning Orthotics gathered to set a launch date - a final deadline to click “publish” on their website and share their products with customers. As expected, students were excited and nervous to finally go live. But when the day finally came in December, the students came together

to introduce their hard work to the world. Teacher and founder Grant Knowles explains the experience as one of the most impactful moments he’s had as an educator.

“We experienced this awesome frenzy; not as a teacher and students, but as a team. Each of us had our roles, and we each helped each other over hurdles.”

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Changemaker Charms It wasn’t teacher and founder Josh Ruddick’s first rodeo when he started an EdCorp with his students at Changemaker High School – after all, he’d already started a business with his students at his last high school. But starting over isn’t easy, especially when students aren’t sure what they’re signing up for. By the end of the first quarter, only three students were enrolled in the course. Josh knew he needed to gain the trust of the students and set realistic expectations in order to grow and motivate.

When he began sharing the opportunity to run a business and use the profits to benefit others, students initially didn’t believe him. They struggled to view the idea with open and imaginative minds.

But something began to click when they designed and created their company logo - a creative embodiment of a real business. The reality of a student-run business started sinking in.

For the last nine weeks of the course, additional students who wanted to engage in running the business began enrolling. Josh and his students were willing to stretch themselves into

Entrepreneurship Changemaker High School Tucson, AZ Student Profits: $1,478

uncomfortable territory, especially as they saw some tangible results from their work. After designing their logo, students found a vendor to create a custom charm that could go on each piece of jewelry they produced. They ordered one hundred charms and began creating a cohesive brand icon that customers would recognize. By the end of the school year, students had designed 14 unique bracelets, created a website, and begun work on their marketing strategy. Changemaker Charms is now in business and ready for success next year.

SD Lip Balm Humanities High Tech Middle Media Arts San Diego, CA Student Profits: $3,934

The seventh-grade innovators of SD Lip Balm spent the first half of this year reaching out and developing partnerships with several local businesses in San Diego, CA, offering to create custom lip balms for each business. The students then split up into smaller groups, with each group taking on each business as a client. The student groups made site visits to their clients, which allowed them to begin establishing professional relationships and develop carefully branded products. They also invited the business owners into the classroom to hear the lip balm pitches and shake hands to seal the deal on their new products.

The students created custom-flavored lip balms for each business. From vanilla bean for the coffee shop and butterscotch for the candy shop to pineapple + coconut with added SPF for the local surf shop - these students went above and beyond to create, brand, and

expand their line of lip balms. They began the year by establishing seven partnerships, but through word of mouth and social media, other businesses started to approach SD Lip Balm. The class closed out the year with 11 different brands of lip balm to choose from. As a final bonus, whenever a purchase is made, students donate ten percent of the profits to various charities around San Diego.

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Kind Kids Compliments began when fourth-grade students decided to hang tearable compliment flyers in the halls of their elementary school.

Students and staff members could grab a compliment for themselves or for someone else as they walked through the school. The compliments were ripped off so frequently that students had trouble keeping up with the demand. From this project, the students were motivated to develop a business that could spread kindness beyond their school’s campus. Kind Kid Compliments made their compliments giftable with keychains, necklaces, and magnets with personalized compliments.

As production began, students took on specific roles needed to run the business. Some students wrote the compliments while others designed and produced the final products. One student even stepped up and became the Production Manager, running quality control and providing constructive feedback to the production team. This year, Kind Kids Compliments made over $800, all of which they donated to Community Concern of Derby, New York, which supports students and families in need through their district.

Kind Kid Compliments 4th Grade John T. Waugh Elementary Angola, NY Over $800 earned since launching in January 2019

InspirED Math Calavera Hills Middle School Carlsbad, CA

The middle school students behind InspirED are passionate about protecting their environment and using their business to create positive change. This year, students turned their focus from monarch butterflies – last year’s cause and center point – to the local House Wren population.

Students designed and built birdhouses that supported bird nesting, which they sold at local fairs and art shows. The birdhouses sold online, but students also continued to find selling events that would allow them to connect their products to local customers, one of which was the Carlsbad Art Show.

Lancership Business Lamoille Union High School Hyde Park, VT

Over the past two years, Lancerships, a custom apparel business operating in Hyde Park, VT, has seen success selling their t-shirts and accessories within their school and district. Grossing over $2,800, they decided it was time to utilize their website in order to market and sell their products to customers outside of their immediate community. With the added task of building a website, students struggled to keep up with orders while also dedicating the time needed to their website.

They worked together, delegated tasks, and built strong communication channels to ensure that they had space to not only fulfill orders but also take the necessary steps to move the business forward. As the year came to an end, Lancerships completed their website - ready to launch with new products in the fall!

Mr. K's Place 5th Grade Lomie G. Heard, a Marzano Academy Las Vegas, NV

With 120 fifth grade students, Mr. K’s Place is an integral part of the financial literacy students are learning. Mr. K’s place, a student-run business, focuses on life skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity and students take on business roles. One learner who struggled academically was elected CEO of the business which gave her the confidence she needed in order to make tremendous academic gains this year. The business also provided opportunities for students to see real-world application of other relevant learning, like financial literacy knowledge, math, and the relevant science required to make the candles, sugar scrubs, and bath bomb products. The business gave relevance to the topics students were learning, which is probably the reason that most students cited the experience as one of their most memorable classroom experiences from the year.

MusBuyTangs Business + Computer Science Mineola High School Garden City Park, NY

After surveying members of the community and potential customers, MusBuyTangs, a Computer Science class turned student-run business, decided to sell phone charging stands.

With a clear idea in mind, they began prototyping. MusBuyTangs carefully moved through this process – first drawing the product, then ideating with paper and tape, and moving on to a cardboard prototype when they were ready. Their final product – a wood phone charging stand – provides your phone with a safe place to sit as it charges. Through their detailed ideation process, students were not only able to create a product that they truly believed in, but they were also able to connect with their community and get potential customers excited about what they created. In their first year of business, MusBuyTangs made close to $200 and learned valuable business skills that will set them up to grow the business in the fall.

PGE Designs Engineering Pandora-Gilboa High School Pandora, OH

After three years of business, PGE Designs, an engineering class turned fabrication business, was looking for new ways to give back. In celebration of Giving Tuesday 2018, students decided to donate 100% of the profits during that week to the Ronald McDonald House of Columbus, Ohio.

With the help of a social media campaign and school promotions, in one week PGE Designs raised almost $500 for the Ronald McDonald House of Columbus!

Rainbow Colors 4th Grade Ivey Ranch Elementary School Oceanside, CA

Karen Pfeffer has been running an EdCorp in her classroom for three years. Last year, her students started Rainbow Colors, a bath bomb company. She loved the business and her students so much, she followed them to the fourth grade so they could continue building the EdCorp together. With 13 new students to the class, veteran students took the opportunity to train the new students on aspects of the business while also continuing to explore the new ideas. One of those ideas was to add two new soaps to their bath bomb product line, which required thorough research, product design, and selling skills. At the end of the year, the biggest challenge wasn’t making money, it was figuring out what to do with all of the money they’d already made! After a spirited debate about which charity they wanted to support with their profits, students donated $1,500 to a local dog and cat rescue shelter!

South O NextGen Kids 4th Grade South Oceanside Elementary Oceanside, CA

The fourth-graders of South O Next Gen experience a lot of change while running their business.

They design and produce Bee Barns and Milkweed Grow Kits for Monarch Butterflies, and sell them both online and in-person, which provides students with opportunities to learn math and science in an engaging way. They also develop valuable soft skills such as self-confidence, customer service, and conversation skills. The students became passionate about the endangered California coastal Monarch butterflies when they learned about the direct positive impact they have on their local ecosystem. They decided to create milkweed grow kits so people can create Monarch waystations in their very own backyard! With inspiration flowing, the fourth-graders decided to collaborate with second-graders to create Bee Barns made of untreated, reclaimed wood. Each Barn was then individually hand-painted by the students. After making almost $1,000 in sales, they decided to donate a portion of those profits to the San Diego Botanical Gardens and use the rest for their own school garden.

VIDA Connect STEM Vista Innovation and Design Academy (VIDA) Vista, CA

The sixth graders of VIDA Connect specialize in swag – which includes shirts, sweatshirts, cell phone cases, hats and more. Now in its second year, VIDA Connect is a business that teaches the entrepreneurial mindset that is essential for students’ 21st century success. Along the way, student entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to get creative and learn how to make products through prototyping as a way to continually add to their product line. They must experiment and create before they can go out and sell. One student - who reported being terrified to give a presentation in the fall finished the year as the business’ best salesperson! In this real-world environment - complete with high stakes and real customers - these students thrive.

Healthy Redwoods 6th-8th Grade Coast Redwood Middle School Felton, CA

When Healthy Redwoods was founded, students had big plans for handcrafted lotions. While they tried their hand at creating the product, lotion-making proved to be a difficult and unpredictable process because it was susceptible to bacterial contamination and mold. After a few ruined batches, students pivoted toward an entirely new product – hydrosols made from local redwood needles! Since launching, the new product has been a big hit! It's even being sold in local tourist shops and craft fairs.

As a part of the process, students have had the opportunity to explore different roles that might interest them. One student, West, has taken on all aspects of inventory, creating purchase orders and invoices, keeping sales records, and working tirelessly to clean and label bottles.

West is often focused and goes into “work mode,” anticipating the next need and analyzing all aspects of production. In his current role with Healthy Redwoods, West is able to apply his strengths in unique and authentic ways that benefit his teammates and his businesses.

"Some of the students are really savvy with work ethic, business instincts, and analytics. It's been fun to see 68th graders as entrepreneurs."

Keidi Lewis Teacher + Founder Healthy Redwoods

LCS Innovations Math Lausanne Collegiate School Memphis, TN Money Donated: $950 LCS Innovations is run by five seventh-grade math classes (yes, you read that correctly: FIVE). While it can often be a challenge keeping five classes on the same page, teacher and founder Amy Brownlee discovered early on that establishing a clear mission and company vision is critical. This has helped students work together as one cohesive unit.

One powerful example: each of the five classes was tasked with writing a mission statement - one sentence that could act as a pillar for all business decisions. After each class had perfected their own individual statement, they all came together to gather feedback on which statement best resonated with their target market. They surveyed the local community, both in-person and on Twitter. Reflecting on all the feedback they had gathered, the five classes selected their official mission statement together: “We are dedicated seventh-grade students who want to end hunger in our community in order to inspire change and conquer food inequity.”

At the end of the year, and with their mission in mind, LCS Innovations donated $600 of profits to the MidSouth Food Bank and helped raise awareness in their community about a cause that means so much to them.

This year, LCS Innovations' donation to the Mid-South Food Bank provided 1,800 meals to those in need in their community.

While RLX ended up having a very successful year, their start wasn’t anything fancy. The third graders kicked off the year with product brainstorming sessions, during which students gathered all possible product ideas. After compiling their ideas, each student voted on their favorite concepts, landing on three final options: slime, a children’s activity, spa bath products. The students created a short survey, which they circulated to family members, school staff, and the general community.

The class received 126 responses and used the data to make a final decision; the spa kit received the majority vote. Students landed on ‘RLX’ as a business name after an accidental misspelling created the unique moniker.

The students sold their products at events throughout the year, including Earth Day at Balboa Park. In preparation, students researched the impact of plastics in the ocean and invited members of Project Swell, a local nonprofit focused on water stewardship, into the classroom to learn more about the issue.

RLX 3rd Grade Urban Discovery Academy San Diego, CA Student Profits: $966 After their exploration, students found themselves fired up enough to make a special eco-friendly product line, which they sold at the Earth Day event and beyond. Students finished the year as entrepreneurs and good-doers, hosting a beach clean up in their hometown of San Diego!

Wolf Toys Job Skills West Hills High School Santee, CA

The students of Wolf Toys have been busy making a variety of dog toys as part of their Job Skills class. Over the course of the school year, some students made tremendous strides - transitioning from being entirely dependent on teacher instruction to becoming able to make dog toys and becoming independent within the business building process. A highlight for the class was when they went to the Humane Society to donate 25 dog toys. This provided the students with the opportunity to see the toys being used and inspired purpose behind what they had been creating.

They ended the school year with a focus on designing their website so that they can be up and running online for the next school year.

Workshop Industries Entrepreneurship Workshop School Philadelphia, PA

This year, Workshop Industries launched the business as part of their Entrepreneurship class.

Their products center around the word “jawn” - an eastern-Pennsylvania slang word used to refer to a person, place, thing, or event that one need not or cannot give a specific name to. This year’s students developed the “Jawnament:” a laser-cut wood ornament that spells the word “jawn.” Under new leadership for the 2018-2019 school year, the students started the year strong by establishing a vision for the business and coming up with a solid mission: to raise money to help students on their campus travel for a service learning project. With this in mind, they had a very successful year and were able to raise over $1,500.

'18-'19 EdCorps

START UP STICKERS

STUDENTS EYE

7th + 8th Grade Gifted Education Northland Innovation Center Gladstone, MO

Product: Stickers

Photography + Digital Arts El Camino High School Oceanside, CA

SUGAR KIDS BEAUTY

SUSTAINABLE SUCCULENTS

1st Grade Elm Street Elementary School Rome, GA Product: Sugar Scrubs

Product: Photography

5th Grade Foussat Elementary School Oceanside, CA

Product: Succulents

T-BIRDZ KIDZ BIZ

TECHNO BISMAL

5th Grade J.E. Manch Elementary School Las Vegas, NV

5th-8th Grade Indian Springs Middle School Keller, TX

Product: Vegetables, Flowers + Herb Pots

Product: App Development

THE DOTTE WAY

THE SUCCULENT KIDS

Career Development Wyandotte High School Kansas City, KS

6th-8th Grade ASB Montgomery STEAM Magnet San Diego, CA

Product: Apparel

Product: Succulents

THE UPSTANDER BRAND

VIBRANT FUSIONS

7th + 8th Grade English and Literature Northwestern Middle School Zachary, LA

Product: Board Games, Bracelets + Bookmarks

Special Education Albert E. Grice Middle School Hamilton, NJ

VIDA DREAMERS

WICKED FOCUS

Character Leadership Vista Innovation and Design Academy (VIDA) Vista, CA Product: Custom Buttons

Product: Necklaces

Humanities Mt. Blue High School Farmington, ME

Product: Fidgets

WICKED SOAP COMPANY

WRAP IT UP

Chemistry High Tech High Media Arts San Diego, CA

6th Grade, Elective Vista Innovation and Design Academy (VIDA) Vista, CA

Product: Soap

Product: Beeswax Wraps

YETI SNACKS

SCRIBBLE IT

Intro to the Creative Economy Crosstown High School Memphis, TN

Gifted Education Kelly Mill Elementary School Cumming, GA

Product: School Snack Bar

Product: BugaDoodles

"I had a small group of students that started creating their own web design agencies, outside of the classroom. They were very motivated and seemed to be doing well.

Initially, I was upset because I felt like they were siphoning off some of the profit that we could make for our classroom.

Then I realized that that was exactly what I wanted them to do. I wanted them to create their own business. I wanted them to have the motivation to do things on the weekends, in the early morning, in the evening after school. I wanted them to dress up to see clients. What started as a point of friction quickly became something that I was very proud of."

Aaron Grable Teacher + Founder of 25 Designs

Skilled Trades EdCorps Community Powered by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools

22

skilled trades classrooms operated student-run businesses this year.

$9,031

of profits made by student-run businesses

440

student entrepreneurs involved in building businesses.

$2,900

of donations from EdCorps to causes

About the HFTFS EdCorps Iniative

From maker spaces and digital fabrication labs to welding and wood shops, students and educators have been using tools and their hands to create and build for years. Consequently, skilled trades education (STE) and entrepreneurship are a natural combination. Since 2017, we've worked with Harbor Freight Tools for Schools (HFTFS) to support a cohort of skilled trades classrooms looking to formalize their existing work into real entrepreneurial endeavors. Since launching the cohort, we have supported 28 classrooms, included engineering classes running upcycled furniture companies and agriculture classes using their wood shop to make environmentally responsible bat boxes.

Students running businesses in these classes benefit from both technical experience as well as entrepreneurial skill development, which is crucial to adequately prepare them for college or a career in an evolving workforce.

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About Harbor Freight Tools for Schools

Harbor Freight Tools for Schools is an initiative of The Smidt Foundation, established to support the advancement of skilled trades education in America. It was created to foster and shine a light on excellence in skilled trades education in public high schools. Believing that access to quality skilled trades education gives high school students pathways to graduation, opportunity, good jobs and a workforce our country needs, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools aims to stimulate greater understanding, support and investment by public entities and others in skilled trades education.

Ivy Fresh Agriculture Tech Ivy Academy Soddy-Daisy, TN Once the students of Ivy Fresh had moved into the new high school building on the environmentally-themed campus of Ivy Academy, they knew they wanted to address a local problem with their business. Unsure of what direction to take, they reached out to rangers in nearby Cumberland State Park for ideas.

After learning about all the issues affecting the local bat population in Chattanooga, students decided to focus their business on bat conservation. In collaboration with the park rangers, students came up with the idea to design and produce wooden bat boxes, which provide safe spaces for the bats to nest, breed, and hibernate. These boxes can be installed on farms, in parks, or in other areas where they are needed to help control insect and pest populations.

The bat boxes were a big hit, and students quickly sold out their first run of inventory at a local selling event. By the end of the year, the

Student Profits: $1,007 business had earned more than $1000 in profits selling the boxes all around Chattanooga.

Unsurprisingly, Ivy Fresh students wanted to use their profits to continue supporting those bats: in May, they made a $200 donation to Bat Conservation International. “It’s an amazing feeling, learning about an issue that’s becoming more widespread, and knowing that you’re making an impact, even if it’s just in your community,” said Morgan Bell, an Ivy Fresh student this year. e self. I'v bout my a d e rn I lea best w much at I do rt is ho a p te and wh ri o rs v e fa th y les and o "M y obstac rk with n o a w m I e rcom how I've ove learned a team. in g in rk o when w year.” lot this a grown y Fresh nt of Iv e d tu S -

Tree Transformation Tree Transformation was started by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize-winner Jonathan Schwartz and his students. Colfax High School has amazing facilities, including a fully functional wood mill where students can learn to prepare lumber for use in the products they make. The class itself sits at the intersection of math and engineering, where Jonathan has been using the woodshop to bring geometry and algebra to life for years.

Students in the class have been producing sellable products for some time, but with the introduction of the EdCorps platform, they have been able to take it to the next level. Not only did they develop unique products – like fishing nets, wooden jewelry, and hand-painted wood ski maps of nearby areas – students also produced a video for each product, demonstrating how it’s made and helping drive home all the skills the students are learning. In total, students had a strong start, making $1700 in profits during their first year in business.

Math + Engineering Colfax High School Colfax, CA Student Profits: $1,700 In keeping with their focus on wood-based products and a love of all things tree-related, students decided to donate $500 of their profits to the National Forest Foundation at the end of the year.

"I loved how this class introduced me to business and real world skills. It was fun to make stuff for a purpose."

Student Entrepreneur Tree Transformation

Hixson Hardwood Agriculture + Woodshop Hixson High School Chattanooga, TN

Hixson Hardwood was started last year as a student-run business that focused on pallet-inspired products. This year, students decided to pivot to bluebird houses in order to reach more customers. By identifying a product that was in demand locally, especially in local parks and public spaces, students were able to sell birdhouse to customers in their community. Starting an EdCorp allowed students to learn the proper use of hand tools – many of whom had never used them before. Not only did student engagement go up, so did student confidence. One student shared that as a result of the experience, she felt more comfortable joining her father at his workbench and helping with more technical projects around the house.

NGW Metal Works Welding + Fabrication West-MEC Phoenix, AZ

Students in this Phoenix-based welding class had been learning to make sellable metal products for some time, but starting a business offered an entirely new challenge. Building upon an existing design for metal roses, students decided to focus on the creative aspects of their product development.

Though they weren’t able to make any sales this year, they have built a solid business foundation that should help them start strong next year. For one student, in particular, the business provided a unique learning experience that allowed him to put different assets and skillsets to use. After he broke his arm early in the year, it was impossible for him to use the welding equipment. Instead, he took charge of the design side of NGW and created the company website, logo, mission statement, and business cards, then tied them all together with a company style guide to ensure the branding was cohesive.

Quality Cre8tions Business Principles + Digital Fabrication Bethlehem Center High School Pittsburgh, PA

Quality Cre8tions is a student-run business run from two different classrooms – business principles and fabrication – and focuses on creating handcrafted ornaments and signs. Students spend half the year in each class, allowing them time to develop both skillsets. While student engagement was initially a challenge, teachers and founders Gene Fox and Trish Stanek pushed through it, connecting students with local entrepreneurs (like the director of a local SBA) and encouraging them to add personal touches and creativity to their products. Not only did it work, the principal took note and has adjusted the school’s schedule to allow more coordination between the two classes while also sharing the company’s successes with the school board.

Ready 2 Grow Agriculture Tech Hixson High School Chattanooga, TN

The students of teacher and founder Lee Friedlander’s Agriculture Tech class started this year with the goal to build on last year’s progress and take their product from prototype to market.

Their primary product – mini-aquaponics kits that fit onto a standard 10-gallon aquarium – has proven quite a challenge. The class struggled with choosing which building materials to use and how to mount the necessary lighting. Making a kit that is consistently efficient, functional, and shippable required several revisions, and they had to start from scratch more than once. Using feedback from potential customers and industry professionals, these students continued pushing through, and despite needing most of the year to make it happen, they were finally able to bring a sellable product to market by the end of the year. Although they haven’t made sales yet, they are set up well for a successful 2019 school year.

Shameless Audacity STEM + Engineering Austin Area High School Austin, PA Money Donated: $300 Operating in the smallest school district in Pennsylvania, Shameless Audacity is a student-run business that makes custom wood signs using recycled materials and pallets.

Teacher and founder Katie Sasala knew from the beginning that she wanted her students to drive the business and took on a facilitator role during their first year. To choose their business name, students went about developing a following on social media and conducted Twitter and Facebook polls. While working to design their logo, they worked virtually with several design firms and platforms, including Fiverr. They also connected with a local co-op called TriCo Connections to learn more about entrepreneurship opportunities in the area. Working with these partners has been instrumental in helping students understand the power of networking and mentorship when getting a new business off the ground.

Deciding on a product was still a bit of a challenge. Once they landed on custom signage, they also encountered critical customer feedback that required reimagination and design adjustments. The students continued to work to meet the demands of their target customer, and have established a solid foundation for next year.

At the end of this year, students wanted to make a positive impact in their community and decided to donate $600 to the nearby Patterson Cancer Center.

Sasala says that “it’s been great to see [students] recognize the value of social entrepreneurship by donating to the Cancer Center and gaining all the technical skills required to run our business.”

p o t to r o o d be ab to Cen . It wa so “I re y lo Can ft a , t e Pat se ab to be a pa ob ru n re d bwe im t a fe li k o n t a a bu s in c a s.” y a s Aud h S , t u t -S

Golden Oaks Designs Golden Oaks Designs combines business principles and manufacturing to create a student-run business that focuses on skill development and customer interaction. They make a variety of products but focus primarily on hand-spun wood pens, cornhole board sets (which can be customized with vinyl sold by The iSH Co., another Pittsburgh EdCorp), and rustic candle holders.

Students regularly participate in selling events around town, proudly wearing their customengraved name tags. Running the EdCorp in two classes and an after-school club helps foster collaboration and problem-solving while allowing students the time needed to conduct important company business. Students have brought in more than $1800 in profits since the beginning of 2018, and often volunteer to work after school and on weekends to design and produce the quality products Golden Oaks Designs is known for.

Golden Oaks Designs has also made it a priority to stay connected to their local community.

Technology Education Keystone Oaks High School Pittsburgh, PA Student Profits: $1,500 They recently conducted a fundraiser following the tragic shooting in Pittsburgh in 2018. Upon hearing that a local family was impacted by the tragedy, students began making and selling Stronger Than Hate keychains on the company website and at school events. Students donated all proceeds from keychain sales and were able to make a $600 donation in the family’s name to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. ment manage y e n o s m such a to give skills e l stomers b u a c u l a h v it g w nicate "Learnin thing I commu e best o h t t s w a o w and h anted class." they w of this t t c u u o d o t go he pr them t

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Chatt Nation Creations Technology Education Hixson High School Chattanooga, TN

XTeacher and founder Jill Moses did a great job of getting her students to buy into the business during their first year. They were able to get up and running quickly and although they initially struggled to land on a product, it wasn’t for lack of trying. Students reached out to the local council of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce and consulted with their high school PTSA to find out what types of products people were interested in. Students formed production teams, designed a custom logo, and finally decided on custom wooden signage for weddings and events.

They made their first sale near the end of the year and intend to start next year by separating into formal departments and investing in social media.

Light for Charity Electrical Systems Parkway West Career + Technology Center Pittsburgh, PA

Finding a way to build a business in an electrical systems classroom was always going to be a challenge, but students in this Pittsburgh-based Career and Technology Center gave it their best try. They were not able to make any sales this year, but they did succeed in building and listing a few beautiful lighting pieces on their website. Students went to rummage sales and thrift shops, looking for unique items that could support wiring, and then used everything they learned to create pieces made from old piping, microscopes, and even toy trains.

Hixson Woodworking Engineering + Woodshop Hixson High School Chattanooga, TN

To make full use of the equipment in the new VW eLab in their school, students of this second year EdCorp decided to start their business over from scratch. They tried out a few product ideas last year, but couldn’t produce any sellable prototypes. They’ve totally rebranded - and now students refinish old, worn-out, or discarded furniture pieces. They also added custom cornhole board sets to the mix at mid-year. After struggling to get things up and running in 2017, these students really got engaged in their business this year and were able to make more than $250 in sales. With several furniture pieces on-hand and ready for upcycling next year, 2019 should be a great year for this business.

Parkway Welding + Fab Welding + Fabrication Parkway West Career + Technology Center Pittsburgh, PA

After struggling to get off the ground during their first semester, this welding class turned student-run business really took off in 2019. The business specializes mostly in unique metal art pieces, but have also found success making custom metal signage for local schools and businesses. Students made their first sale in October and never looked back, reaching nearly $600 in profits. It’s been a valuable experience for students to see their work displayed by their customers as it helps solidify the impact of their work.

2018-19 EdCorps

AZTECH ARTISANS

HAMMER + NAILS

Engineering Montgomery High School San Diego, CA

Product: Custom Woodworking Designs

Industrial Arts North Penn-Mansfield High School Mansfield, PA

PARKWAY WEST WOODWORKING

PENS PARTS + PAPERWEIGHTS

Building + Construction Parkway West Career + Technology Center Pittsburgh, PA Product: Cornhole Boards

Product: Cutting Boards

Precision Machining West-MEC Phoenix, AZ

Product: Custom machined Parts and Tools

REFLECTFINITY

WARRIOR WORKSHOP

Engineering Central High School Chattanooga, TN

Advanced Manufacturing Elizabeth Forward High School Pittsburgh, PA

Product: Infinity Mirrors

Product: Cutting Boards

WEST-MEC COLLISION REPAIR

WEST-MEC LUBE EXPRESS

Automotive Systems West-MEC Phoenix, AZ

Automotive Systems West-MEC Phoenix, AZ

Product: Auto Repair Services

Product: Oil Change Services

Next Generation Sustainable Living

Next Generation Sustainable Living introduces students to green tech, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability. In addition to building their primary product – solar-heated chicken tractors – students work on various other projects such as tiny homes made of recycled metal panels, solar cookers built from discarded satellite dishes, and a mobile solar generator mounted on a trailer.

NGSL has been designed by the students of Central High School, and the business focus is adjusted each year to meet the needs and interests of new students.

Teacher and founder Jerry Webb hosts an industry luncheon each year, bringing in a number of industry professionals for students to meet and network with. The curriculum for the class is also adjusted after each school year based on feedback from those industries, ensuring students are learning the relevant skills they need in future industry jobs.

Jerry Webb himself was also recognized this year, being selected as a winner of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence.

Manufacturing/Electrical/Plumbing Systems Central High School Chattanooga, TN Student Profits: $2,900 NGSL had an excellent year on the business side.

The students sold the solar generator and their entire stock of chicken tractors, earning nearly $3000 in profits. All money earned from sales is reinvested in the business to support the needs of future students and the growing business.

From Teacher + Founder of NGSL Jerry Webb “Our students learned a hard lesson this year about over-thinking and over-designing a product that was already very good. Next year, they are going to partner with our school’s marketing department to improve and expand our business.”

Pittsburgh EdCorps Community In partnership with the Grable Foundation

20 13

classrooms in the region operated student-run businesses this year.

school districts in the region housed student-run businesses.

1,311

student entrepreneurs involved in building businesses.

$6,868

donated by local studentrun businesses.

About the Pittsburgh EdCorps Community

The Pittsburgh EdCorps Community embodies a vibrant ecosystem of brilliant students and brave teachers, industry partners and community members – working together to grow the maker and entrepreneurial spirit throughout the region. Since the first Education Corporation in the region was started in 2016, educators and their students have been finding creative ways to use entrepreneurship to explore STEM, the arts, skilled trades, screen printing, and social entrepreneurship, just to name a few. An anchor for the national network, the Pittsburgh EdCorps Community – which has included over 50 student-run businesses to date – can be characterized by their creativity and courage, community and intergenerational collaboration, and bias toward giving back.

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About the Grable Foundation

With a mission to make the Pittsburgh a great place for kids, the Grable Foundation supports programs that help youth become independent, caring, contributing members of society. The foundation recognizes the importance of families, educators, and communities coming together to support children in public schools and out-of-school time.

Small Town Studios The 75 fifth-graders of Small Town Studios made several valuable authentic connections this year.

After receiving a shipment of coffee mugs that had been broken in transit, teacher and founder Michelle David challenged her students with drafting an email to their supplier, Coastal Business Supplies.

The students accepted that challenge, and it led to a very positive learning experience. Coastal Business Supplies was so impressed by these student entrepreneurs that they offered to provide free product feedback and business mentorship.

As the students dealt with production issues related to heat press temperatures, crooked designs, and more, they were able to turn to Coastal Business Supplies for advice. Students were also chosen to test Coastal’s new products - mugs that change color and special markers to draw designs directly onto mugs.

Matthew Maurer, the Marketing Coordinator at Coastal Business Supplies, then pitched the idea of involving the students in their current marketing campaign, resulting in a blog article and videos.

5th Grade Ramsay Elementary Mt. Pleasant, PA Money Donated: $500 Students even got to plan and record videos for a commercial, which included shots of their mugs in production and a customer unboxing a finished mug. By developing the relationship with Coastal Business, the students of Small Town Studios gained useful feedback on their work and learned a powerful lesson about networking and collaboration in business. They also got some valuable experience in negotiation and relationship building.

This industrious group had quite a year: they made partnerships to sell their mugs to local cafes, held seven in-person selling events in the community, shipped products to 8 states via their e-commerce website, and finished the year by giving back to community organizations like the Foster Love Project.

(iSH) Co Technology + Business Education Elizabeth Forward High School Elizabeth, PA The (iSH) Co. – which means “In Students’ Hands” – really lives up to its name. Teacher and founder Megan Smith started (iSH) Co. with a group of students as an after-school project incubator, and they began making vinyl-printed banners, stickers, and a variety of custom products. They found immediate success within their district, but as word spread through the Pittsburgh community, the demand soon warranted more attention than the club could handle. Their school took notice and created a combined Tech Ed/Business Ed class for Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. This allowed for a more student-centered learning environment that immersed them in the business and provided opportunities for students to develop real-world skills.

Products: Vinyl printed banners, stickers and more In addition to learning how to design, create, and sell their products, students gained experience in social and emotional learning through collaboration and teamwork, and they developed creative confidence through handling the various business operations. They also worked toward becoming global citizens through giving. The students recognized the impact of their work by choosing to invest profits into projects in their local community.

They have mobilized around eleven organizations and causes, donating a total of $6,165 to their school and community.

“It's different because we aren’t just sitting and looking at a book or board, we actually get to create and be in control. It’s active learning, not just receiving information.”

-Abby Bickerton, Student + VP of (iSH) Co.

Center Grows 4th Grade Center Elementary School Pittsburgh, PA

According to teacher and founder JR Pilyih, running an EdCorp and embracing student choice through real-world opportunity have completely changed the way he teaches. The 45 fourthgraders of Center Grows began their science study into farming by learning to grow basil with aquaponics, as well as lettuce and kale with hydroponics. They also tried vermicomposting with worms for their outdoor garden, and it was the girls in class who took the lead in caring for the worm bins each day. One student who was struggling with math and reading took charge of caring for and teaching others about the fish in the aquaponics tank. Other students investigated environmentally-friendly practices. They designed and sold reusable water bottles, and campaigned for a refillable bottle station at school. With their profits, Center Grows adopted a sea turtle through Oceana.org at the end of the year.

Eagle Pride Productions Technology + Engineering Club South Park High School South Park, PA

This hands-on technology club creates a variety of products, including wooden desk accessories, lamps, and ornaments. Teacher and founder David Bailey’s high school students have overcome several challenges this year, helping them recognize and adapt to changes in business operations at different times of the year. For example, students overestimated the number of products they’d need for a holiday event and ended up with a considerable surplus. Unsure of what to do with the extra inventory, they decided to consider options over the holiday break. They regrouped as a team after the holidays and discussed some ideas. As a class, students created a new marketing plan that helped push product sales through the spring - clearing the excess inventory and reinforcing the value of never giving up in business.

Frazier Family Farm 3rd Grade Science Frazier Elementary School Uniontown, PA

Students at Frazier Elementary learn how to run a business using plants grown in the school’s aquaponics greenhouse and hydroponics towers. Under the guidance of teacher and founder Larry Sutton, the third-graders began networking in their community, looking for business partners. Once a local store began selling their plants, students decided to use the profits to upgrade their operations to accommodate biodegradable plant trays. They have successfully sold microgreens and other plants in communities from West Virginia to Pittsburgh thanks to connections made at community shows they attended. They also began working with a student from a nearby district who is helping to set up the greenhouse and towers with automated tracking systems that can be controlled from a smartphone.

Hampton Creates Art Hampton Middle School Allison Park, PA

Eighth graders at Hampton Middle School got to experience first-hand how to connect entrepreneurship with philanthropy by creating products tied to social causes. With help from teacher and founder Lisa Woods, this year's students created a new company logo to build brand recognition in the local community. They also expanded their product line to include screen printed items such as t-shirts and journals, braided bracelets, and colorful dog bandanas.

Customers purchasing the bandanas were able to choose a charitable cause to support - the Butler Humane Society or Angels Place. Thanks to the profits from bandana sales, students were able to make donations of $125 to each organization at the end of the year.

Productive Panthers Students in various grade levels at this rural Pennsylvania school really lived up to their Productive Panthers name this year. Teacher and founder Cara Bates realized that the EdCorp allowed her to address content across many subject areas, so she and her students took full advantage by working to upgrade all areas of the business. Now in their second year, students of this soy wax melts company improved everything from their packaging and product formulas to the workspace itself. Students reworked the soy wax formula to be longer-lasting and gave each new scent an inviting name like Black Raspberry Vanilla or Pumpkin Souffle.

Once the new formula was ready, students began researching better packaging options. They had previously used 3D printing to make molds for their wax melts, but the process was time-consuming and they struggled to keep up with demand. They needed a faster method and were ultimately able to find one: new pre-formed packaging that would allow for much more efficient production.

K-12 STEM Gifted program Austin Area School Austin, PA With more time available, students could make more wax melts during each class period. The classy new packaging also helped to energize their marketing efforts. With a Facebook page as their main marketing channel, students offered a contest where they showed the winner on Facebook Live.

During this campaign, they gained 231 new followers, as well as the attention of a local retailer in nearby Coudersport called Mama Made. This boutique placed a big order to stock their shelves with the student-made soy wax melts.

For next year, the students of Productive Panthers have set their sights on gaining additional retailers and learning about wholesale business practices.

Jeweliful The middle school students behind Jeweliful took running a business in the classroom seriously while building career skills in the process. With only eight new positions available in the business club this year, students interested in running the EdCorp had to undergo a rigorous application and interview process with the other student leaders. Applicants shared the skills and talents they thought they’d need, like Gemma who said that she’d be very good at advertising because she was “very descriptive and good with adjectives and adverbs.”

And just like a real job, team members were held accountable when they didn’t show up for “work” or when motivations were lacking.

Jeweliful overcame these challenges as a team, even while preparing to sell at one of Pittsburgh’s largest holiday markets, The Handmade Arcade.

While at the market, the students got creative in order to draw people to their booth, sharing their story several times over.

Maker Club Bethlehem-Center Middle School Fredericktown, PA

EdCorp Founder Sarah McCarty, an artisan craft vendor herself, was able to guide her students through the process of talking to community members and providing customer service.

Between strategy sessions, teamwork, and goalsetting, the students behind Jeweliful learned critical 21st-century skills to finish the year strong. at a gre s i e ts e lov even l p y o t i e n . P ommu hare c s g o n t s t “Doi dent abou u t r s a e h for d to place n a ry ” d sto sses. o e o n g i s a bu -run t eliful n w e e d J u st of nder u o F ty, cCar M rah -Sa

Heroes with Heart 5th Grade Bethlehem-Center Elementary School Fredericktown, PA

When it comes to running a business, it takes energy and enthusiasm to succeed. The fifth-grade students behind Heroes with Heart learned that in real-time when selling at one of Pittsburgh’s largest artisan craft shows, The Handmade Arcade. They arrived in the morning, ready to hit the ground running! Teacher and founder Sherrie Silvio helped her students expertly manage their booth while they simultaneously ran a “Make and Take” activity table – which was arguably the hit of the event with parents and children alike. None to waste a good opportunity, Heroes with Heart students used their time at both the booth and table to promote their business. At the end of the morning, they made almost $500 selling their hallmark product, the “Stuffies” stuffed animals, which raises money for the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital.

Holiday Park Makers Co. 6th Grade Holiday Park Elementary School Pittsburgh, PA

Teacher and founder Nathan Pfeiffer realized that starting a business with his sixth-graders as part of their STEM Club might offer them a renewed purpose. Holiday Park Makers Co was born, and with their new business, students began making connections between the club’s STEM-focused activities and entrepreneurship. They learned about additive manufacturing using 3D printing, which allowed them to create intricate keychain designs. Once production was underway, students turned their attention to launching their online store and planning a marketing strategy. They were thrilled with the profits the business made and decided to support a charitable organization with a mission close to their hearts. The students voted unanimously to donate to the Arthritis Foundation in the name of a classmate struggling with Juvenile Dermatomyositis.

Hidden Exit Technology Bellwood-Antis High School Bellwood, PA

When teacher and founder (and escape room enthusiast) Jamie Forshey started The Hidden Exit with her students, she was surprised by the level of design and technical skill her students displayed while creating escape their room puzzles. They also made valuable connections outside the classroom. When they needed support with developing the more technical components, students reached out to an electrical engineer who taught them how to them utilize circuits and magnets when constructing their puzzles and clues. Over the course of this year, they created dozens of classroom breakout activities for educators and have hosted a number of groups and birthday parties in their Hidden Exit escape room as well. Their work inspired Jamie to start XscapeEDU, a unique competition for escape rooms designed and built by students. The first competition was held in May, with 75 students from surrounding school districts bringing their own escape room designs. The students of Hidden Exit helped organize the competition, and they also took part - adding another real-world experience for the year.

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Pop-It Pop-ItDesigns Designs 5th Grade Ramsay Elementary School Mt. Pleasant, PA

Preparation pays off – or at least it did for Pop-It Designs, a student-run business from Mt. Pleasant, PA. When students began preparing for a big selling event, teacher and founder Kristy Frohliger challenged them to find a way to efficiently cart their phone holders, sequined nags, and koozies to display them at the convention center. With little time for set up and tear down, students needed to be organized. They configured a collapsible cart with all of the necessary supplies, designed the table displays, and photographed set up for easy onsite replication. All this work came in handy as Pop-It Designs sold their products at seven events throughout the year.

Selling events allowed quieter students, like Emma, to find their voice when tasked with sharing their business with customers and thinking on their feet. As the year progressed, Kristy found her students to be more engaged, collaborative, and committed to finishing their work in a timely manner in order to help make their business a success.

Sublimation Creations 6th Grade Bellwood-Antis Middle School Bellwood, PA

More than 100 sixth-graders cycled through Sublimation Creations this year, all working to build local awareness for their EdCorp. Teacher and founder Kyley Longo jumped at the opportunity to start the year off right, bringing 25 of those students to a conference where they could show off and sell their products. These middle-schoolers worked diligently to be ready, designing and producing a variety of sublimated products: coasters, mousepads, ornaments, t-shirts, and mugs. Sublimation Creations was a big hit at the conference, and participating students were able to connect with authentic audiences while developing their sales and marketing skills at the same time. By midyear, the business had generated enough profits for the students to donate $300 to help with their school’s “Someone Special Dance” for students with special needs.

Phillips Green Machines For teacher and founder Jennifer Salzmann, starting an EdCorp in her classroom was the perfect way to integrate critical reading and English language arts into a real-world learning experience. Her fourthgrade students decided to focus their business on combating the school’s waste problem, and started off the year by drafting a mission statement they could use to guide their decisions.

As they brainstormed product ideas, they realized they needed to better understand what was causing the waste problem. They developed a questionnaire and asked to interview the school janitorial staff to gain some insight. One student struggling with reading gained confidence with the challenge of interviewing by using visual cues created by his classmates. Students also got the chance to have a conference call with high schoolers from another district, interviewing them to learn about new methods they were using to reduce plastic bottle waste.

This call was really important for Phillips Green Machines students because it helped them see that their business could extend beyond just their school,

4th Grade, Learning Support Phillips Elementary School Pittsburgh, PA and that they could actually impact the world around them. They turned the interview responses into an essay to help them understand the waste problem, and then began researching ways to upcycle waste from school.

After experimenting with braided lanyards made from shredded plastic bags and various products using recycled paper, students finally landed on a series of recycled paper seed balls as their first product. Keeping their mission statement in mind, students continued to collect reusable waste - like old crayons and chip bags - all year long so that they’ll be ready to create new products next year.

2018-19 EdCorps

DREAM TEAM

GATEOLOGY

8th Grade Computer Science Elizabeth Forward Middle School Elizabeth, PA

Gifted Education Elizabeth Forward Middle School Elizabeth, PA

Product: Custom Sublimated Goods

Product: T-Shirts

JAM ENTERPRISES Kindergarten-2nd Grade, Maker Education Avonworth Primary Pittsburgh, PA Product: TinBins

RAIDER RULZ Business Education Cornell High School Coraopolis, PA Â Product: Engraved Pencils + Glasses

SPARK TECH STUDIOS

YINZ MERCH INC.

Game Design South Park High School South Park, PA

STEM Club Keystone Oaks Middle School Pittsburgh, PA

Product: Board Games

Product: T-Shirts + Slime

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Jay Cellante, Teacher+ Founderof Raider Rulz

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If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.

We're grateful for the community of educators, school leaders, foundations, and corporate partners we work with to bring the magic of entrepreneurial learning to students all over the country. Thank you to the partners who have supported Real World Scholars and the EdCorps Community with their time, energy, and resources.

Team RWS: What did we learn this year?

Adam Mathis, Relationship Manager (HFTFS Cohort) It's been challenging to accept that teachers are going to ask questions that I’m not always able to answer. Not having all the answers makes me uncomfortable. I'm learning to accept that it’s ok to not know the answer as long as I am willing to learn.

I’m also learning that sometimes, it’s best to just keep things simple.

Christen Dunn, Classroom Coach (Pittsburgh Cohort) This year, I really put myself out there talking with various groups and people about EdCorps + youth entrepreneurship.

It’s a very vulnerable position to be in but being passionate about this work gets me through it. I learn from each experience as each builds my confidence.

John Cahalin, Co-founder Key takeaway for a great year: working with existing networks of innovative schools at the city level is the best way to both scale and sustain our three initiatives.

Melanie Weisman, Relationship Manager Everyone needs a reminder that it’s okay to be human. We all make mistakes, miss deadlines, and are just straight up messes sometimes. Don’t get down on yourself – embrace the mess, learn from it, and move forward, unapologetically.

Audrey Reimer, EdCorps Program Manager On a personal level, our organizational deep dive allowed me to reevaluate my own vision for the EdCorps Community.

So here’s my biggest takeaway: we can’t do everything! We need to focus on the things we do well and learn how to provide leaner and meaner support to ensure we can continue to grow the community.

Elyse Burden, Co-founder + CEO A "yes" to one thing is a "no" to something else. Things can get busy and noisy around here. More than ever, this year has helped me to get clear about my goals and say "no" to the types of things that keep me from accomplishing those goals – be it a new project or a selfdefeating mindset.

Michael Crawford, Director of Strategy + EdSpace Lead This year has taught me a lot about myself: what I want, how I persist, and, most importantly, that I must lean on others when times get the toughest. It’s true what they say: we are the people we most interact with. They’re the ones who help us become us; and they’re the ones who continue to help me become the me I strive to be. It’s about the people, people.

How'd we evolve as a result?

Less like a program. More like a platform.

We’ve always struggled to describe the EdCorps experience. The word “program” never quite fit – we were creating a way for young people to practice entrepreneurship, not a set of rules or a linear experience that was more about our goals than those of our students. But with our earliest adopters asking for help, structure, and models, the EdCorps experience became program-like, with clear requirements, relational commitments, and ongoing scaffolding. Over time, this approach supported educators who didn’t have an idea where to get started and discluded others who had a vision that didn’t fit. But with more experience under our belt, we’re transitioning from a prescriptive program to a more open platform that can support and encourage unique ideas and entrepreneurial learning experiences. More resources, fewer hoops to jump through. Platforms lift people up and that’s the business we want to be in.

JFFLabs Accelerator + Reimagining the Model Turning five meant it was time we went beyond close-up tweaks and took a bird’s-eye view at our work – the whole shabang. As a part of a JFFLabs Accelerator, we dissected our approach and the EdCorps experience to better understand what was working for classrooms. Because our support had always been personalized and responsive, it came in 15 different forms and with varying degrees of success and efficiency. It became clear that we were wasting time on supports that teachers didn’t need at the cost of improving the experience so they needed less support to begin with. Key takeaways: one third of our support offerings could be slashed entirely, a substantive chunk could be replaced with a better technology platform and tailored support resources, and the remaining, mission-critical support offerings (like face-to-face time) could just be done smarter. While we’re still building the new platform, we look forward to a world where we can support more classrooms with less bulk.

A More Sustainable Way Forward As we think about the next five years, one thing is clear: if we want to support more student entrepreneurs, we will need a more sustainable funding model that is less dependent on the support of a few generous individuals and foundations. With this in mind, we spent six months creating a fundraising framework for relevant institutions and corporate partners and a donor model that allows everyday people to support youth entrepreneurship in communities they care about. It’s all new territory and we’re not sure how it will go, but over the last few years, we’ve met countless individuals who’ve believed in the mission and wanted to support the work. We’re finally going to let them.

Coming '19-'20: EdHarmony* Over the last few years, we've found teachers all over the country partnering with local community members to engage students in real projects and creative problem solving. While some teachers were doing it, even more wanted to be doing it. We heard it everywhere: educators needed a matching platform that could help them find and collaborate with partners from the community. It was a challenge that was right up our alley. We’ve spent the last year in R + D to better understand what folks need to be successful while also exploring communities that could use the platform to build meaningful relationships and truly authentic and integrated learning experiences. We’re looking for national partners to bring the platform to life, and we'll be piloting alongside the Chattanooga community this year to learn how the platform might promote school transformation. *Name almost certain to change. Have a better idea for the name a matching platform that pairs educators with community members? We're all ears!

EdCorps: In the News + In the World

Center Grows: a commercial for Comm their reusable water bottles!

Building Beyond the Classroom

Behind the scenes with

w/Chattanooga's Ivy Fresh

Fan Faces HQ

Teacher combines tech +

EdCorp Founder

Community spotlight on

EdCorp Founder wins

entrepreneurship.

wins Leavey Award

Small Town Studios

HFTFS teaching award

Building Beyond the Classroom

In the News: Upstander Brand +

In the News: Pet Supply Company

w/ Keystone Oaks Designs

their anti-bullying board game

Run by Middle School Students

Behind the Scenes w/ Scribble It!

Local press covers student-

Forbes: Student transformation

run business in Austin, PA

through EdCorps + entrepreneurshiip

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“"What always surprises me is seeing the power of hands-on, authentic

learning for students who struggle with academic concepts in their core classes. I am always surprised at the ways in which my students blossom and grow as individuals through participating in this elective.”

-Sarah Emerson, Teacher + Founder of Isteam Future Innovators

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“When students are choosing to give up free time (Aka Lunch) to work on the business, that’s when you know it's time to step up and advocate for more."

-Paula Intravaia, teacher + Founder of Revolutionary Shores

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