Snellville Entrepreneurship Alliance's 2021 Student Entrepreneur Contest

In May 2021, five sophomores in the Brookwood Integrated Entrepreneurship Program went to Snellville City Hall to pitch their student-operated startups for real investment funding. They presented to a panel of "Shark Tank" judges composed of local business owners, and two walked away with funding. Malcolm Frandsen (picture above presenting) received the top award of $1,300 for his business, Logical Lawn Care. Noila Rahimjon received $400 of funding for her YumMe Skincare business. Judges awarded Hailey Demessa with a heat press valued at $500 rather than investment funding for her business, On Edge Printing. 

Read the coverage in the Snellville Patch. 

Brookwood participants in 2021's contest were Yalaneh Haba, Noila Rahimjon, Malcolm Frandsen, Triniti Cassidy, Zya Davis, and Hailey Demessa. 

Click here to download this document.

The Brookwood Entrepreneurship Program offers students an opportunity to earn Language Arts and Career and Technical course credits in a non-traditional format while learning to launch their very own small business by the end of their tenth grade year.  (See the above document.) This co-curricular classroom includes a unique approach to language arts instruction. Students will develop all the skills of a standard language arts class in a non-traditional project-based, technology-rich learning environment. Critical thinking and reading skills, communicative arts, and research techniques relevant to all entrepreneurs in the business world will be employed throughout the program. 

Our program’s philosophy of fostering an entrepreneurial mindset has a history of success.  Not only will students develop essential communication and literacy skills, they will develop crucial soft skills necessary for a successful future.  With support from the City of Snellville, the Brookwood Entrepreneurship Program has awarded to its students over 30 business licenses, nearly $30,000 in student business venture funding, and has claimed the title of Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the city of Snellville in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

During the first two years of the program, students will have an opportunity to earn three units of course credit during a two-period block course.  In other words, students who successfully complete the first two years of the program will have earned six units of course credit in four class periods.  Students will also be considered Career & Technical Education Pathway completers.  If desired, the last two years of the program provide the opportunity to complete the final two years of core Language Arts credit and the required 4th-Science elective both taught through an entrepreneurial lens.