2013 Pilot Report. HOPE Business In A Box.

Transcription

1 2013 Pilot Report HOPE Business In A Box

2 HOPE Business In A Box Academies Pilot Results The HOPE Business In A Box Academies (HBIAB) pilot was a success educating 591 students across four markets: Denver, Oakland, Los Angeles and Atlanta. In an effort to nurture the strong entrepreneurial spirit of youth illustrated by the Gallup-HOPE Index, students were trained in entrepreneurship, developed their own business plans, and over 100 students pitched their business ideas to their peers, teachers, community members, and 25 pitch judges. Furthermore, pitch winners were partnered with 14 business role models in their communities for mentorship and 17 business start-up grants were awarded to students totaling $4,880. Overall, the HBIAB Pilot Results tell a compelling story of youth economic energy being harnessed through education and mentorship. HOPE baseline assessments show that students are not being introduced to business concepts and in fact lack basic understanding of entrepreneurship. This coupled with the high entrepreneurial spirit and low internship rate measured by the Gallup-HOPE Index illustrates the failure of our education system, parents, and communities to nurture and promote youth economic energy. The participation of such a large amount of students in the pitch events, Business Role Model partnerships, and grant opportunities, along with significant performance improvements on entrepreneurial assessments illustrate clearly that the HBIAB program successfully serves as an intervention strategy that connects education to opportunity. Denver Colorado Pitch Winners with their Business Role Models, Teachers and HBIAB Program Manager, MK Sagaria.

3 HOPE Business In A Box Academies Youth Entrepreneurial Course for Youth Grades 4-12 Measurement and Rationale The HBIAB Youth Entrepreneurial Course is largely a knowledge transfer opportunity to measure the learning and behavioral shift related to Entrepreneurship and business information presented to students. The selected measurement tool is a Knowledge Assessment at the Pre-Learning Phase and Post Learning Phase of the program to offer insight into transference of knowledge and behavioral shifts. Assessment Details October 2012 May 2013: Assessments were administered to 315 students that participated in the Pilot. Categories of Assessment Items Item #1: Understanding the role of Small Business in the U.S. Item #2: Item #3: Item #4: Entrepreneurship Understanding an Intrapreneur Target Markets Item #5: Item #6: Item #7: Item #8: Item #9: Item #10: Understanding Profit Product and Operating Costs Business Pitch Understanding the steps to start a small business Successful Business Skills Business Marketing and Trust Demographics of HBIAB Pilot Participants All Pilot Schools are Title 1 Schools (more than 41% of its students receive free or reduced lunch) Sixth Grade: 81% Seventh Grade: 18% Majority of participants were Black: 80%; 10% Hispanic; 7% Asian; 3% White, Native American or Other Gender: 56% Female

4 Measurement Statement Measuring entrepreneurial knowledge is a very important aspect of nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of America s youth that was measured in the Gallup-HOPE Index. With so many youth desiring to be their own boss and have their own business it is important to give students the knowledge and know-how to achieve their goals. The below assessments show that the Youth Entrepreneurial Course (Step II of HBIAB) was very successful in transferring entrepreneurial knowledge to its students. Assessment Results (Based on the percent of students who answered the item correctly) PRE-ASSESMENT Item #1 Item #2 Item #3 Item #4 Item #5 Item #6 Item #7 Item #8 Item #9 Item #10 Middle School 48% 29% 39% 20% 58% 66% 33% 40% 50% 39% POST-ASSESMENT Item #1 Item #2 Item #3 Item #4 Item #5 Item #6 Item #7 Item #8 Item #9 Item #10 Middle School 55% 50% 63% 57% 67% 76% 63% 54% 68% 60% Entrepreneurial Course Item #1 Item #2 Item #3 Item #4 Item #5 Item #6 Item #7 Item #8 Item #9 Item #10 Performance Improvement 15% 72% 62% 185% 16% 15% 91% 35% 36% 54% Pilot Analysis and Results: The crux of the Youth Entrepreneurial Course is to measure the knowledge improvement based on exposure to the curriculum. Pre-test assessments show that many students do not have any basic knowledge of entrepreneurial vocabulary or concepts. Students failed the pre-test with an average score of 42%. This illustrates the lack of entrepreneurial training in schools across the pilot markets. Nevertheless, HOPE was successful in raising students understanding of entrepreneurship. The average performance improvement score across the pilot schools was 58%.

5 Pilot Analysis and Results Continued: All of these successes can be attributed to: The meaningful interaction touch points with volunteers in the three markets A curriculum that adequately presented financial and entrepreneurial knowledge and spoke to the youth across the three markets The expectations set by the volunteer and teachers to learn throughout the program The youth s desire to become better by leveraging the information presented in the course Pitch Events After receiving both the BOOF curriculum and the Youth Entrepreneurial curriculum, HBIAB students then created their own business plans and pitched those ideas to their peers, teachers, and selected community entrepreneurs that served as pitch judges. Across the four markets, over 100 students participated in school-wide pitch events after winning their classroom pitch competitions. From these business ideas, 33 were chosen as winners and those students were selected to be partnered with a Business Role Model. Below are some of the successful business ideas that were chosen as winners: Ink Spot Greeting Cards, Oakland, CA Fun City Party Planning, Oakland, CA Lend A Paw, Dog-Walking Service, Oakland, CA Speedy Trevor s Bike Repair, Denver, CO African Bright Colors African Clothing Design, Denver, CO Clean Cut Lawn Care, Atlanta, GA Fierce Jazz Fingers Dance Camp for Youth, Atlanta, GA High Heels and Healing Mobile Nail Care Service, Atlanta, GA IHelp, Accessories and Instruction for Apple Products, Los Angeles, CA Fantasy Fruit Fresh Fruit in Chocolate Bowls, Los Angeles, CA One Tough Cookie, Los Angeles, CA

6 Business Role Models A key element to the HBIAB initiative that separates this program from other youth entrepreneurial programs is the fact that HOPE matches students with a community mentor, or Business Role Model. The purpose of the Role Model Empowerment facet of HBIAB is to instill a business philosophy in students by sharing their expertise on business and personal experience, developing a marketing strategy, and creating a fair price for their produce and/or service. One of the findings of the GHI was that few youth in the U.S. have mentors, thus, there is a gap between what youth wish to become and what they see and experience in their daily lives. Without a mentor, it is unlikely that their entrepreneurial spirit will be nourished. HBIAB therefore bridges this gap by giving students across the country access to community members that can serve as mentors to help youth embrace their economic energy. The Role Model Empowerment pilot programs were a huge success. The Business Role Models in all markets spent 6 weeks mentoring their students and bringing their visions to fruition after the pitch competitions. During the six-week period the Business Role Models devoted at least one hour each week for one-on-one meetings and group meetings with each of the student entrepreneurs. Topics discussed included planning timelines, budgets, strategies, product costs, logistics and other poignant business applications. Business Start-Up Grants At the end of the six-week Business Role Model period, students went on to present their final business plans to HOPE staff. Seventeen HBIAB Business Start-Up Grants were awarded across the pilot markets totaling $4,880. HOPE requires that all recipients of a HBIAB Business Start-Up Grant provide evidence of an open bank or credit union account prior to the distribution of grant payments. All HBIAB grant recipients are instructed that all grant money is to be used for the launch and/or operation of their new business. All grants were distributed to students by July 18, 2013 and HOPE looks forward to watching these young entrepreneurs grow their new business.

7 HBIAB Testimonials I am very excited to have been part of the pilot program for HBIAB in Oakland. As an entrepreneur, I was excited to see HOPE provide education to enlighten and foster entrepreneurial spirit and energy within our youth. It is an aspect which I had never been exposed to as a student, but truly wished I had. Entrepreneurs have always been the lifeblood and catalyst for the American Economy; therefore it would only make sense to develop this within our educational system. The HBIAB pilot program was a well constructed program that was easy to teach. The curriculum provides a solid foundation which can be adjusted for a varied set of student levels. I truly hope this program succeeds nationally and we can see this type of education in ALL of our schools! Howard Huang, HOPE Corps Volunteer, Oakland CA HBIAB has helped me learn how to become an entrepreneur. The volunteers taught me how to map out my business and financial plan and create prices for my service. Working with my Business Role Model Scott has also been a tremendous honor for me. Scott is the owner of a martial arts studio and has helped me see the ups and downs of how business works, he s showed me examples from his business and what worked for him. And I ve taken his tips and applied them to my business. Treavor, Student Montbello High School, Denver, CO The students were very nervous but worked extremely hard in preparing for their pitches. This event was very inspiring for all of our students and should be in every school! Ms. Hall, 6 th Grade Teacher, West Lake Middle School, Oakland, CA This is a great opportunity for youth to experience entrepreneurship at its best. This level of giving back is fun and life changing. Tim Birt, Business Role Model, Atlanta, GA HBIAB takes a student s interest and helps them develop it into a reality. In education we often find ourselves trying to make what our students are to learn about relevant to them so that they will be motivated to engage. HBIAB ENGAGES at many levels by helping students determine which of THEIR business ideas they want to build upon, walks the students through the step-by-step process, and connects them with business professionals that have a desire to MENTOR students by sharing THEIR knowledge and experience. Regardless of whether they win or not, I believe our students will walk away with the knowledge of the intricate process of opening a business and the inspiration to continue to try their hand at whatever they want despite obstacles and setbacks. Thank you HOPE! Happ Legg, Parent-Teacher Liason, Montbello High School, Denver, CO The curriculum was age-appropriate, grade-appropriate, culturally-appropriate, and detailed enough to truly expose the students to business and what it takes to start and run one Your program is amazing and unlike one I have seen before because it does a great job of weaving in the steps and people that make up a business and shows the students that they don t have to wait to be an adult to start a business. It also shared with them the importance of striving to be the best worker and not settling for mediocrity. Thank for coming to our school! Your presenters are amazing, well informed and even taught me some things that I didn t know about business and finance. Teacher, Jean Childs Young Middle School, Atlanta