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Troy City Schools and the Small Business Development Center at Troy University are partnering in a program that will provide Troy eighth graders a chance to learn about entrepreneurship.

The Charles Henderson Middle School Career and Technical Education Exploration and Entrepreneurship Program is made possible through a $25,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Education to Troy City Schools.

“Entrepreneurship is a course for students in Grade 8 designed to promote lifelong learner success by learning about and actively engaging in their own entrepreneurship activities,” said SBDC Director Juliana Bolivar. “Students will learn about the types of entrepreneurship through academic and business connections made possible by a partnership with the Troy University Small Business Development Center creating the action plan and the IDEA Bank as a space to grow the future generation of entrepreneurs.”

The program will allow the CHMS students to explore multiple CTE areas and the local businesses and industries related to those areas, said Jeremy Knox, Career and Technical Education director at TCS.

“While in the CTE Exploration program, these students will receive lessons in business management that will culminate with student developing a business model and presenting in a “Shark Tank” style competition,” he said. 

Those business plans will be pitched to a panel of professionals and University representatives. The presentation winner and runner-up will receive scholarships of $1,000 and $500, respectively, upon subsequent admission to and enrollment in Troy University.