Two Venture for America (VfA) fellows, Mike Mayer and Billy Schrero, are taking eighth grade education to the next level by teaching entrepreneurship through the VfA youth initiative Startup Effect. It’s a hands-on, action-based, experiential learning program that engages the students and provides them with valuable tools for the future. After a few months up and running, the program is seeking $10,000 to expand.
“$10,000 is not merely a dollar amount; it is a way to show Startup Effect students past, present and future that there are people out there who believe in them.”
With the $10,000, Startup Effect will be able to:
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Expand into 3 more classrooms (costs $2,000 per class)
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Launch in 1 additional city
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Broaden the scope of how we track our students progress
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Increase Startup Effect student initiatives
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Contribute to continued learning opportunities for students in high school through mentorship, sponsored classes, and internships
In school, Schrero says, “You learn how to learn, but at some point you have to learn skills.” He and Mayer want students to realize they can add value right now; there’s no need to wait until the students are older to solve problems in the community.
The fundraising campaign has received donations from 36 backers for a total of $1,300. There are 31 days left to fund Startup Effect.
Startup Effect also runs in Detroit. The next program will expand to Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The program’s goal is to think ahead by building a network of peer and business connections for the students, potentially setting them up with internships or jobs down the road. To find out more visit startupeffect.org.