According to the School District of Osceola County, 3DE, a collaboration of the district, business partners and Junior Achievement, re-engineers high school education to be more relevant, experiential, and authentically-connected to the complexities of the real world in order to be more fully prepare today’s students for the demands of tomorrow’s economy.
That was very evident at Osceola High School last week when 11th grade students in Osceola High School, that were part of the school’s Osceola Business Academy and Junior Achievement’s 3DE Market Day, showcased their entrepreneurial passions and business startups to members of the community, school district, and Junior Achievement of Central Florida.
The 3DE students, who are all part of Ms. Theresa Davilla’s 11th grade business class, were tasked with taking the case studies they’ve developed in class and to build a business from the ground up. Those eighteen businesses, which typically consisted of three or four class members each, had an opportunity to pitch, showcase, and explain their businesses to those in attendance at the Market Day event at Osceola High School.
The students shared their business missions, goals, marketing plans, and what inspired them to move in the business directions they did.
“The goal is to take this experience and do something with it, whether it’s teaching someone else or whether it is to do something for themselves,” Ms. Theresa Davila shared during the Market Day event.
The eighteen businesses were extremely varied, from a guitar repair business, to a pool cleaning business, to a sustainable “earth-based” bakery, but there were a few things that were present in every business we spoke with during the event. Every group of 3DE students were filled with excitement, passion, inspiration, hope, and creativity – all things that are needed to succeed in business and in life in general.
“They can definitely take what they have here and hopefully in the future after high school they turn them into actual businesses that they can profit from,” 3DE director Melinda Fisher said.
Those in attendance were asked to “vote” for their favorite businesses during the event. The three businesses that received the most votes were:
- Café Buns (bunny café)
- Mochis (Study Pod and Café)
- Florecitas (Flowers with biodegradable vases)
Congratulations to all the students, staff, volunteers, and to Junior Achievement of Central Florida on this incredibly life-changing event.
For more information about the 3DE program call Osceola High School at 407-518-5400, or email 3DE Director Melinda Fisher at melinda.fisher@3deschools.org.
