Volume 89 Issue 2 Winter 2018
East Leyden High School
3400 Rose Street
IncubatorEDU: S Dawid Poddany
tudents in grades 11 or 12 fascinated with careers in business can take Leyden’s new Business Incubator Course, which gives them an opportunity to work with real-world entrepreneurs and business experts. Together, these teams and outside consultants organize and launch businesses, taking them from concept to fully formed business plan. Students spend class time working on their businesses together into groups to learn about marketing, accounting ,and human resources. The teacher of the class, Vincent Russotto, shared what he wants students to get out of his course. “I really hope students have an experience they’ll be able to take with them after high school. I personally think that this is a class like no other. They’re also going to have this opportunity now to see what it takes to start a business. Not all students have that opportunity, and I think if they are able to see what it takes and how difficult it really is, or how fun it can be,it’s something they can possibly pursue post high school.” His class makes the business world very real for the students, allowing them to be exposed to a collaborative environment and allowing
BLOOD: A gift from family
L
Carolina Michalek
eyden’s annual blood drive, held this semester on November 29, gave all students the opportunity to help others. For some, it was a new experience. For others, it’s an old habit. Johana Smith* knows the importance of blood donors first hand. Three years ago her aunt, Anna Castro*, was diagnosed with severe iron-deficiency anemia. “I was petrified to hear the diagnosis,” Smith* said. “When I went to visit her at the hospital, I saw all
them to all share their ideas to ultimately work together with different ideas to lead their business in one direction. For students who have an interest in business and are interested in the class, Mr Russotto has only a few requirements: “To be open minded, not being afraid to fail, I feel that a lot of students feel that if they fail that’s the end-all, be-all. Once students really grasp the idea that failing is a positive, they rebound from that failure, pick themselves up, and [understand] failure is okay. [That’s how they end up ]being able to keep going forward and pursuing their dreams.” of the light in her eyes drained.” Severe iron-deficiency anemia occurs when the body doesn’t have enough iron, which it needs to produce hemoglobin, the main component of red blood cells. When the iron in the bloodstream is dangerously low, the rest of the body can’t get the amount of oxygen it needs. The disease can transpire at any age. Taking care of the your body with nutritious meals, and regular exercise will decreases your chance of developing iron-deficiency anemia. Symptoms such as dizziness, weakness, and cold hands/feet occur. For Smith’s* aunt, the symptoms resulted in a trip to the ER. In order to live a comfortable life, Castro* needed periodic blood transfusions to replace her deficient red blood cells. According to Life Source, less than 38 percent of the population is eligi-
Franklin Park, Illinois
Class gives students real business experiences
The students in the business incubator class are tasked with creating an idea and conduct-
Brian Wasilewski, Mark Praca. Sagan explained that their business is an app that “revolves around financial organization. It I really hope students have an will allow you to track experience they’ll be able to take your purchases exactly, with them after high school. count your receipts for --Mr. Russotto you, put everything into categories, so if you go to ing research and interviews with Target and buy 1-9 items and those potential consumers to see if they items are clothes and or food, that would like their idea. The students gets shifted into categories labeled present their idea by the end of the food and clothes.” The app is based school year; to a group of investors around financial help, so anyone who may back their product with in between the ages of 16-55 that their name and money, if they like has a smartphone and a functional it and see it’s potential. bank account can take advantage One group presented of the product. their App project, Jacub Sagan, This course has very Kacper Kijowski, Kevin Giec, much benefited Jacub and will
Julia Werynski donates at the recent blood drive. Photo by Carolina Michalek
ble to give blood. Luckily, Smith* was a matching blood donor. “I thank the universe for having a niece with the same blood type as me,” Castro* said. Now, Smith* donates her blood as often as her aunt needs,
which is usually once per year. ”It’s become a norm for me,” Smith* said. “But as long as it’s saving my aunt’s life, I would do it over and over. If [people] can donate their blood, they should. It would save others who might have
allow him to present his newfound skills of marketing, market research, and cooperation in a team. These are skills he hopes to bring to the business world. “Well I plan on going into the business world and tech world. After I get my degree in computer science I want to be integrated into the corporate world, so I will not only need my computer science degree but the skills I learned in the Business Incubator class such as marketing and cooperation with a team.” Sagan explained, “When we first started out in class, nothing really seemed that serious. We were talking about different business strategies and researching the market. The weight and importance of the class never really sunk in before we had finally chosen our product/service. After we pitched our idea to the class and our teacher as well as put together an explanatory presentation, that’s when it hit me. We are actually going to start a business. Sure, it may be rudimentary and just in the early stages, but it will be a business eventually. This is when we really started cracking down on the spreadsheets, the presentations, the interviews. We wanted this to take off; we wanted this to be a successful project.” similar situations, like my aunt.” That’s the same sentiment provided by blood drive and student council sponsor, Ms. Ellie Dix. “Donating blood is a great way of giving back to people in the community that are in desperate need of medical attention,” she said. According to the American Red Cross, every 2 seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. During the in-school drive conducted by the professional organization LifeSource, students who were 16 and older donated enough blood to save up to three lives. “It makes me feel like a hero,” Svetoslav Zografski said. “Anyone who is considering to donate blood or has donated is a real MVP.” said Student Council member Riley Deahl. *Name changed for anonymity