July 16, 2024 -- Second grade student Brandon Franklin is on a mission to boost the morale of Columbus City Schools’ teachers. Inspired by his passion for connecting with people and his admiration for teachers, Franklin created Calm Columbus City Teachers (CCTT), a mobile app designed for educators to use for morning, mid-day, and afternoon mental and emotional check-ins. The app provides tailored resources to support their well-being based on their responses.
“I love talking to people, and I love teachers, so I figured why not put them together,” Franklin said.
Franklin pitched his innovative idea as part of Leawood Elementary School’s Entrepreneurship Pathway during the Summer Experience program. This summer, students from Pre-K to 4th grade learned the basics of entrepreneurship in collaboration with GiveBackKids.
Owen Myers, the program lead for GiveBackKids—a branch of the GiveBackHack entrepreneurship initiative— noted that a special four-week curriculum was designed for the District. Myers and his team of facilitators, experienced in working with youth and adults, guided the students through starting their own businesses.
“The goal here isn’t to create new millionaires or teach them how to stifle the competition,” Myers explained. “The goal is to teach them how entrepreneurs see problems and solutions and give them a new tool that they can use to solve problems in the classroom, on the playground, or in their future jobs.”
Over four weeks, the GiveBackKids program immersed students in design thinking, which involves ideating, testing, building, and pitching their ideas.
The curriculum was carefully tailored to three age groups: Pre-K and kindergarten, first and second grade, and third and fourth grade students, ensuring age-appropriate learning experiences. Facilitators worked closely with students, transforming their ideas into viable business concepts.
At the program's conclusion, each grade level at Leawood Elementary presented their pitches to their peers and facilitators. The students showcased a variety of inventive ideas, including restaurants, mocktail bars, and ice cream houses.
“It’s been really, really wonderful to see the students be imaginative and think outside the box,” said Myers, who has been involved with the CCS Summer Experience for three years. “This year, more than any other year in the past, the ideas have been wild.”
Second grade teacher Angela Mosley expressed her delight in watching students grow in their confidence and problem-solving skills as they learned to design their own businesses.
“It has them thinking big, about how they can provide a service to the community and make money,” Mosley said.“I think many of the students will walk away thinking, ‘I am capable of being a business owner.’”
