Starting Up

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Students from Indiana elementary and middle schools will demonstrate how they have learned to harness economic skills and innovation to create a successful business at the Dennis J. Weidenaar Classroom Business Enterprise (CBE) Showcase at Purdue University’s Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business on Wednesday, April 3.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will recognize teachers and young entrepreneurs from the area who have participated in the CBE program throughout the school year. The CBE Showcase will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in Rawls Hall 2011.

Students will be on hand to display their products and share information about the process of starting their business, including designing, producing, marketing and selling their goods. Business experts from Purdue and local corporations will offer constructive feedback.

The CBE program allows teachers in elementary and middle schools to incorporate applied business experience in their current classroom curriculum, giving their students the opportunity to learn important economic skills. Both the start-up funds provided to students and the profits they earn are in real dollars, making it a true entrepreneurial learning experience.

Classrooms receive funding, training and support from the Purdue Center for Economic Education (PCEE) which coordinates the program and the annual showcase.

"The CBE is an important part of business, economics, and entrepreneurial education in the region," says Melanie Fox, a clinical assistant professor at the Daniels School and PCEE’s director. "The program is continuing to grow and expand into more classrooms for the 2023-2024 academic year, and we look forward to growing even more next year with interest from elementary, middle and high school teachers."

Media seeking more information on the Classroom Business Enterprise Showcase should contact the Daniels School's Marketing & Communications team at businessmedia@purdue.edu.