Middle School Entrepreneurial Fair 2017

Students from the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC) region gathered at the Knott County Sportsplex on November 17, 2017, to present their business plans and small business ideas in the annual Middle School Entrepreneurial Fair. Presenters progressed to this level of the competition by receiving the highest scores at a previous school-level competition.

“The students gain confidence. They’re used to being in a classroom where they’re told to answer a question, and there is a period at the end of that sentence, but with this project, I get to ask, what’s next, what else would you do?” said Arlie Boggs Elementary School teacher Mrytle Boggs.

The age-old student question, “How am I going to use this in the real world?” is quickly answered with the entrepreneurial, project-based learning environment of creating a business in your local community. Participants must rely on their language arts skills, research components, mathematics, and many other lessons as they build their business plans and the elements needed for structuring their new companies and ideas.

“Once kids do research, talk to friends and families and do surveys, they find their ideas quickly. This is project-based learning, so the kids are guiding themselves, I’m just a facilitator. They teach me so much I wouldn’t normally do in the classroom,” said Sidina Stanley, a teacher at Millard Elementary School in Pike County.

You may view presentation boards in the slideshow below. The competition was judged by students from Morehead State University. Their press release, including competition winners, can be viewed by clicking here..

Participating schools: Adams Middle School, Arlie Boggs Elementary School, Elkhorn City Middle School, Emmalena Elementary School, Feds Creek Elementary School, Hazard Middle School, Johnson County Middle School, Letcher Middle School, Millard School, Middlesboro Middle School, Paintsville Middle School and Campton Elementary.