News - Learwood 7th graders Become Budding Entrepreneurs with Shark Tank Activity

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Learwood students hold up their invention made of colorful cloth material

Learwood Middle School 7th graders will be engaged throughout the school year with an exciting entrepreneurship activity that builds upon the marketing skills they acquired through their Lorain County Joint Vocational School (JVS) career exploration and part of their Skills Class. The Shark Tank Activity was rolled out on October 18th for the “first quarter edition,” in which every seventh grader will take turns participating throughout the school year. Students formed groups and designed, created, and branded a product they felt would improve or ease their quality of life. The products were creatively crafted with the help of Makerspace devices including the embroidery device, 3D printer, glow forge, and sublimation tool. Next, students selected a target audience and determined the cost of their products, specifically, how much it would cost to manufacture and sell. Finally, a variety of adult “Sharks” made inquiries regarding the products and decided which to invest their dollars in. This hands-on learning experience helps empower students with presentation, communication, and other valuable life skills while putting into practice recently acquired marketing techniques. Thank you to the seventh grade Skills Class teachers for coordinating and executing this upbeat and motivating project-based learning experience. Thank you to Lorain JVS for providing a foundation in marketing and budgeting skills. Finally, thank you to Learwood staff for serving as the evaluators (“Sharks”). Congratulations to the seventh grade Shark Tank participants for their innovative ideas and outstanding presentations!