T-shirts. Crochet shirts. Handmade lotions and body products. Lashes. Snacks. Gardening. Drones.
Through the club, students learned about the ins and outs of business in a five-week program that culminated with presenting and pitching their own businesses. They also enjoyed the freedom of being able to make their own decisions.
“It’s a great program,” said Helen Hamlet, an achievement behavior support specialist who oversaw the club. “It teaches the students responsibility and how to work with others.”
As a business owner herself outside of school, Hamlet lent her expertise in graphic arts to help students price goods and build logos and websites for their businesses. Students also used The MacPac, a digital curriculum, to help build their business and learn how to incorporate AI.
Michael MacDonald, owner of The MacPac, served as a judge for the EXPO. In addition to helping students create logos, ads, and flyers, The MacPac first helps them establish a creative mindset to build a business from an idea stemming from something they love and turn it into reality. It also uses AI to guide them in sourcing products and conducting a cost analysis.
It was an “amazing” visit for MacDonald, who hoped his story can resonate with students.
“At 14 years old, that’s when I realized what I wanted to do,” he said. “I’m trying to teach these kids it might be something that they really love to do and they can make a profession out of it. If these kids don’t know that it’s possible, then how would they ever know? I'm trying to create hope for them and make them understand that it is possible to become a millionaire.”
Eighth grader Aa’miyah Hill won first place with her paintings and earned $200 in gift cards to further her business. All students were rewarded with a trip to Dave & Buster’s after the EXPO.
As students first hatched their business ideas, some opted to partner with others, allowing them to designate roles such as manager or CEO. Eighth grader Memphis Marion’s T-shirt venture was one such success made possible with help from others in the Entrepreneurship Club. That kind of collaboration and sense of community is an example of how Detroit Enterprise has outperformed the district for eight years.
Great job, Detroit Enterprise!
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About Detroit Enterprise Academy
Detroit Enterprise Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Detroit, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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