VW seniors learn about entrepreneurship

VW independent/submitted information

With only a few weeks of school to go before graduation, Van Wert City School seniors were exposed to another option for their future from Gary Corcoran, business counselor for Wright State University-Lake Campus’ Business Enterprise Center, and Cindy Leis, Van Wert community development director and OSU Extension educator. The option included becoming an entrepreneur and starting a business.

While seniors at Van Wert High School are required to take a government class taught by Bob Priest, the class now requires financial literacy, which includes many aspects of financing, from car loans to credit cards; however, missing in the program was an opportunity that involved owning one’s own business.

When VWHS Principal Bill Clifton was contacted by Leis regarding interest in an opportunity to teach students about starting their own business — either after high school or in the future — Clifton, along with other teachers and guidance counselors, was very interested.

Over the past several years, the Lake Campus’ Business Enterprise Center has offered the “Starting Right” workshops in Van Wert and Celina to adults interested in starting a new business or growing their existing business. More recently, the program was taken on the road to the smaller communities in Van Wert County, including Convoy, Middle Point and Ohio City (which is coming Tuesday, May 13,from 6-8 p.m. at the Village Office).

The newest program, “Starting Right for the Student” was discussed among committee members several months ago in an effort to increase interest in entrepreneurship in the community and offer an option to students after graduation.

“We are so very fortunate to have the support from our community,” Priest said. “Having Cynthia Leis, Van Wert economic development director, commit to three days of being in the classroom, adapting to our students’ schedules, and to bring speakers with her for the purpose of giving our students ‘real world’ experiences in creating a business has been so very rewarding.

“Our students were able to come away with components of creating a business plan, dollars needed to create a business, and examples of ‘thinking outside the box’ in order to make a business successful,” Priest added.

Over a three-day period, instructors, Corcoran and Leis delivered valuable information on starting a new business, beginning with an assessment to determine if students had the characteristics to be their own boss, and hearing from Ernie Welch, local entrepreneur and owner of Firehouse Pizza in Middle Point. Later sessions involved students working in groups selecting a product or service idea that would be used to create a business plan and, finally, understanding start-up expenses, on-going operating costs and a break-even analysis.

The program was a pilot project at Van Wert City School that included a survey given to the students so the committee could determine if the program had value to the students and if the program should be offered to the 2014-15 senior classes not only at VWCS but surrounding school districts. The survey results indicated that 93 percent of the students felt the program was suitable for graduating seniors and 95 percent recommended VWCS should continue to offer the program. In fact, 53 percent responded that they would be interested in owning their own business in the future.