Young Entrepreneurs Visit HGSE

On April 20, students from Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) program at the Bronx Aerospace High School in New York City visited the Ed School to learn more about entrepreneurship in education. Below are three accounts of the visit: One from an HGSE master’s student and two from Bronx Aerospace High School students.

HGSE Gets NFTE – Alyssa Chan, master’s candidate, International Education Policy Program Here at the Ed School, we spend much of our time analyzing characteristics for quality teachers and identifying practices to improve schooling, but rarely do we find the opportunity to interact with real, live teenagers! A talented group of students in the NFTE program at the Bronx Aerospace High School in New York City, traveled to Boston last week for their end of year class trip. NFTE provides programs that inspire young people from low-income communities to stay in school, recognize business opportunities, and plan for successful futures, and with the encouragement of founder Steve Mariotti, partnered with students at the Ed School to introduce new ideas of social entrepreneurship and educational innovation. Despite their 4 a.m. departure from the Bronx, the young entrepreneurs participated with enthusiasm in HGSE Professor Fernando Reimer’s morning lecture, and later presented in a business pitch competition to members of the HGSE community. Led by their teacher, Jessica Cohen, these students presented their pitches with professionalism and exuberance – with one or two students even making connections with potential investors! For those of us fortunate enough to meet with these students, we walked away reminded of who the most important stakeholders in the education system are and refreshed by the potential of their impact in our society.

Business at Harvard - Catherine Glenn, student at Bronx Aerospace High School Not a lot of students would willingly wake up at 1:30 in the morning, to go to school. On Friday, April 21^st, I did just that. The day was foretold in a McDonalds, when a few students in my NFTE Business class decided that as an end-of-the-year trip we would raise money to visit Harvard. With help from our school principal, Captain Kirkweg, and the founder of NFTE, Mr. Steve Mariotti, our dream became reality. Our day at Harvard was one of a kind and I will never forget it. From the class we sat in, to the wonderful barbeque where we met countless Harvard students, I want to thank everyone at Harvard for giving us the opportunity to meet current Harvard students. They gave us the opportunity to meet real graduate students, and also changed our views about the type of people who attend a school as prestigious as Harvard.

Students That Mean Business Go To Harvard - Daneesha Murrain, student at Bronx Aerospace High School The NFTE Business Class trip to Harvard University was definitely an inspiring one. From the moment the bus arrived at the campus grounds, I was immediately mesmerized. I felt excited as I took in the school, and was in absolute awe. Harvard was one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited, and I could not wait to see the rest of it. My class was scheduled to sit in a graduate entrepreneurial class at 8:30 that morning, courtesy of one Mr. Steve Mariotti, founder of NFTE. As my classmates and I filed into the classroom, I was excited about the idea of sitting with adults in an actual graduate class, at the top-ranked university in the country. The lesson, taught by Professor Fernando Reimers, was very interesting, and taught me as an entrepreneur something very true. As an entrepreneur, you are bound to face many challenges. However, the key to actually achieving something is to never lose sight of what you are working towards. Keep the vision, and if you have people working with you or for you, make sure that they are aware of your vision, and if they have any ideas, it can definitely help you in the long run.

After class let out, it was time for lunch. As we walked to the building in which we were to dine, we were given a small tour of the university. The schools and buildings that we passed were explained, and the history of them as well. After lunch, my class was to present the business slides of our individual businesses that we have been working on in school to a handful of Harvard graduate students. Our three judges were very straightforward with the feedback, which was very helpful to us, and they made a few suggestions that could definitely help us on our paths to future success. After our presentations, we toured the rest of the campus. We crossed over to the school of business, and walked around the Innovation Lab on site. What made this visit all the more magnificent was that there were entrepreneurs at work, and they all looked determined and very serious. Their progress and thoughts were written on the dry erase walls and pillars that were in the lab. I was beyond impressed by what I witnessed that day. It further fueled my own determination to continue with my own business. But most importantly, it motivated me to continue on with my education after high school.

The students that we had the chance to meet at Harvard were beyond friendly. They made me feel like I was part of the student population. They pulled us into conversations, asked us about our lives in New York, and our plans for the future. I have never felt so welcomed in all my life, and I loved the experience of meeting new people. That trip to Harvard was one that I will never forget. The people who made it all possible and my classmates made it a special memory that will remain with me forever.