In the News

One of Mundelein High School's Incubatoredu program startups, "Safe Sip," recently moved on as a finalist in the INCubatoredu National competition. Safe Sip, a drink-spiking detection product, is one of the top five Incubator startups in the country competing for this national honor. The Safe Sip startup was created by five senior girls at Mundelein High School. 

Rounding out its fifth year at Vandegrift, the Entrepreneurship/INCubatoredu program has grown to become one of the most popular course requests among students. Taught by teachers Erin Mathis and Erin Lucas, the course allows students to spearhead the creation of their own unique businesses, whilst incorporating vital knowledge of business management and marketing research. 

Next week in Dallas, GSV will convene innovative and forward-thinking minds in education, business, technology and industry for the inaugural SMU+GSV Mission Summit. The three-day conference is packed full of powerful keynotes, networking opportunities and interactive sessions aimed at accelerating ideas that combine purpose and profits and changing the world for good.

Kempsville High School students in the Entrepreneurship and Business Academy are busy preparing. The INCubatoredu Program’s 5th Annual Pitch Night is Wednesday at 5 p.m. Watch as six teams present their business pitches and plans to a panel of successful judges. With real seed money on the line to fund their businesses, the stakes are high for these sophomores.

“No two days are the same. We’re trying to tackle a different problem every day in class. And it’s not all work. It’s fun too, and it’s something I enjoy,” Senior Christian Long said. “Just being in an environment where other people are pursuing similar goals, but at the same time doing something totally different, I think that’s super powerful.”

This spring, we’ve found pockets of excellence in three dozen high school visits...where we’ve spotted evidence of deeper learning (i.e., engagement, critical thinking, excellent public products). It’s been work that matters to the learner and their community– it’s relevant, purposeful, and consequential work.

“I see quite a few people here that maybe are not familiar with what INCubatoredu is and how fortunate the Farmington High School and the school district is to have this,” she said. “I've said this many times, but I'm so proud. Farmington High School is the first school in the state of Missouri to have the program.

The solutions to the long-standing inequities female entrepreneurs face are equally complex. But one idea is emerging as a prime opportunity for all students, regardless of gender, to learn the skills needed to thrive in the modern economy. High school entrepreneurship education programs, such as the INCubatoredu classes I teach are a vehicle for propelling more young women into entrepreneurship and business leadership roles. This is especially important since more than half of Gen Z, people born after 1997, plan to start their own businesses at some point in their lives.

Entrepreneurship is a long, but rewarding, journey and it requires time, talent, financial resources, and community support to create success.  If I hadn’t taken note of these brothers during my early morning work outs, I would have missed out on discovering the incredible story of DeoBlock and how I could offer guidance and resources for these young entrepreneurs.