Something exciting is going on at Surrey's Coyote Creek Elementary. In the hallways and classrooms of this Surrey school, things are buzzing. Market research has been completed, product designs have been finalized and the school’s Grade 6 and 7 students have moved full swing into production mode. They have been learning to earn and manage money with PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs, an exciting experiential learning program that helps youth plan and implement their own small business ventures.
Sponsored by the Surrey Board of Trade as part of its Youth Entrepreneurship and Advocacy Action Plan (YEAAP), PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs empowers young people to make informed financial decisions as they work through the business planning process. “The program provides a real-world platform for young people to stretch their abilities and build important practical life skills,” says program creator Bill Roche. “The young entrepreneurs create business plans, products and marketing materials. They then showcase their achievements at an exciting event called the Young Entrepreneur Show where they make sales and earn real money.”
Grade 7 teacher Jared Stevens had his class conduct market research with other students around the school to help them gain confidence with public speaking. “Getting product feedback from their peers was a nice way for the kids to ease into conversing with people they aren’t familiar with,” he commented. Stevens’ students have also been learning new vocabulary and role-playing sales interactions with one another as they gear up for their upcoming trade show. “These skills are transferable,” he noted. “As they move into high school and into the working world they will increasingly be expected to communicate and express themselves.”
“At the Surrey Board of Trade we are committed to helping Surrey youth develop the tools they will need to thrive in the new economy,” says Anita Huberman, CEO. “We are proud to sponsor PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs because it teaches young people to be innovative and think outside the box.” Stevens was especially impressed with the creativity of one of his students who thought up an original design for an emoji night-light while talking with his brother in his bedroom one night. Huberman concurred, “I am always impressed to see the ingenuity of the students at the showcase events. It makes me excited for our city’s future.”
