Governor's School for Entrepreneurs
2017 Program Highlights and Updates
Hello to the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet!
We wanted to send you an update on all that's been happening with the Governor's School for Entrepreneurs and KEENStart! We are excited to share what we've done and where we are headed! Feel free to respond with questions or comments - your input matters and we plan to continue to communicate with you on a consistent basis! Thank you for your continued support!
2017 Governor's School for Entrepreneurs
2017 Governor's School for Entrepreneurs
The 2017 program was truly a success. Many changes were made this year! Notable changes include an experiential, innovative curriculum, diversity concerning guest speakers and participants, and the creation of an event we've named Demo Day. GSE’s exploratory learning environment combines STEM based and cross-curricular skills with enterprise development. We are anxious to compile our 2017 report to detail these changes and the overall impact on our young entrepreneurs!
Below find our 2017 Schedule!
Demo Day!
One of GSE's biggest goals is the transformation of our young entrepreneurs from day 1 to day 21 of our residential academic program. Demo Day is the event that showcases their mastery and growth. Our sixty high school students pitched various businesses to a packed theater of parents, local professionals, and community stakeholders. Visual presentations and prototypes accompanied the pitches as our panel of judges evaluated them from a true entrepreneurial perspective. The young entrepreneurs blew the audience away with not only their pitches, but their soft skills. GSE participants grew notably in communication and presentation skills, and creativity and critical thinking skills.
If you missed Demo Day, we streamed it live via Facebook! Find those videos and others here: https://www.facebook.com/GovernorsSchoolforEntrepreneurs
If you missed Demo Day, we streamed it live via Facebook! Find those videos and others here: https://www.facebook.com/GovernorsSchoolforEntrepreneurs
1st Place - BioChar
BioChar developed an environmentally friendly and biodegradable charcoal. They researched and developed their own charcoal "recipe" to combat current competitors. Their product burns for over an hour and is priced at 11.99 for a large bag!
2nd Place - Quick Click Glasses
Quick Click Glasses created a product that slides over the frames of glasses giving individuals control over customization of their frames. These "skins" come in all colors and patterns, and even allow you to change the overall style of your frames!
3rd Place - LeafWeb
LeafWeb developed a net that extends over the length of your lawn. You can connect LeafWebs to form a bigger or smaller net depending upon the size of your lawn! This green net then catches autumn leaves as they fall, allowing the homeowner to simply roll the net up and dispose of the leaves!
KEENStart Updates
The Kentucky Entrepreneurship Education Network has a lot of exciting ventures on the horizon! Of these, we have selected a few to announce! See below!
Governor's School for Entrepreneurs Nationwide Network
In 2013, Kentucky was the first state to support a Governor's School for Entrepreneurs. Now, West Virginia and Mississippi have joined our ranks. We have helped them create their respective GSE programs and want to continue to help others! We have been in contact with states just beginning their programs and others who are in the early stages of planning and development! We have been working with the U.S. State Department to facilitate a collaborative network focusing on Entrepreneurship education and the creation of GSE programs nationwide! We are excited to see where we land with this project and are grateful to be seen as a model program!
GSE at STLP!
This year, GSE plans to collaborate with the STLP program! We are still finalizing details, but our goal is to help launch a 4th showcase category - Entrepreneurship. Through this showcase category, teens across the state will be competing for a spot at the 2018 Governor's School for Entrepreneurs! The final pitch competition will be held at the 2018 STLP State Championship! Because of STLP's continued focus on STEM and project based learning, we see this as a great opportunity for all! STLP has long been a staple in the state of Kentucky and it is an honor to be involved!
The 3rd Path
Over the course of the next year, KEENStart will launch a second program, tentatively called The 3rd Path. The focus of this program will be to continue working with GSE participants after our summer program. At the end of each summer, our entrepreneurs often ask us "What is the next step?" We have found that we help to ignite their passion for Entrepreneurship, but after they leave us, it does not stay lit. Our goal is to help them with next steps - whether that be continued coaching and mentoring, team development, prototype manufacturing, helping them get into a collegiate entrepreneurial program, or into an incubator or accelerator program. Our goal is to not only help them find the next step, but assist as they take it!
The Governor's School for Entrepreneurs
Email: tasha@keenstart.org
Website: www.KentuckyGSE.com
Location: Lexington, KY, United States
Phone: 1.859.568.2199
Facebook: facebook.com/governorsschoolforentrepreneurs
Twitter: @KentuckyGSE