There are undoubtedly several high schools in Southeast Kansas using some kind of entrepreneurship curriculum.  The best programs concentrate as much or more on the way entrepreneurs solve problems than the technical aspects of running a business.  While we’re not familiar with all the various high school entrepreneurship programs, we are familiar with one of the best of the best.   Formerly known as Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas, YE has now become just Youth Entrepreneurs.  Based in Wichita since 1991, YE has grown to provide curriculum and support for about 40 high schools in Kansas and another 16 in border states.  Currently launching the high school program in several markets across the Unites States, YE is poised for growth. 

YE offers week-long entrepreneurship camps as an introduction to their program about helping high school students to learn about “business, markets, and solving problems for profit”.  We have the (day) camp available at Fab Lab ICC next week, Monday – Friday from 8:30am to 1:30pm.  We’re adding time in the Fab Lab at the beginning of each day.  The facilitators (one from Wichita and one—fresh out of YE facilitator training) will start the YE part of the program at 10:30 each day.  We’ll feed these students lunch for a camp fee of $39.  The registration link is posted on our Facebook page “Fab Lab ICC”. 

The great thing is that we’re all involved in “business, markets and solving problems for profit” whether we work for someone else or we go out on our own.  The YE program is not just about business, but about the business of solving problems, whether in a professional or personal context.  Hence, it’s a very good way to introduce and develop life skills in our young people.  Some people would call it a curriculum to inspire the elusive “soft skills” we always complain to be lacking in our young people. 

Until this fall, there were no high schools in Southeast Kansas offering YE.  All 40 active high school programs were in the other quadrants of Kansas.  This fall Independence, Field Kindley (Coffeyville), Elk Valley (Longton) and Fredonia high schools will initiate YE into their schedules as a regular elective course.  We are happy to have been of some assistance in the implementation of Independence and Field Kindley.  Elk Valley and Fredonia have come into the light on their own accord. 

Two years ago, we hosted about 25 YE students from around the state on the ICC campus for a tour of Fab Lab ICC and some of our other innovative programs.  During the visit, we all noticed that these students were different than the average high school student.  Alert, positive, curious and self-confident is how most of us described them.  It was at that point that we stepped up our efforts to be a catalyst for initiating YE in our area high schools.  It is very satisfying to see us establish a foot-hold for YE in Southeast Kansas. 

Jim Correll is the director of Fab Lab ICC at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the campus of Independence Community College. He can be reached at (620) 252-5349 or by email at jcorrell@indycc.edu. Archive columns and podcasts at www.fablabicc.org.