WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Students from Indiana K-12 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 Mitch Daniels School of Business on Wednesday, April 9.
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 3011.
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, middle and high schools to incorporate applied business experience in their current classroom curriculum, giving their students the opportunity to learn important economic skills. Both the startup funds provided to students and the profits they earn are in real dollars, making it a true entrepreneurial learning experience. Proceeds from the sale of their products are donated to nonprofits and used to seed subsequent years’ projects.
Classrooms receive funding, training and support from the Purdue Center for Economic Education (PCEE), which coordinates the program and the annual showcase.
“The CBE has been an important contributor to economics and entrepreneurial education in our region for several decades,” says Melanie Fox, a clinical assistant professor at the Daniels School and PCEE’s director. “We are happy that schools from every level of K-12 education are getting more involved, and we look forward to welcoming even more to the program in the future. Educators interested in participating in our training and receiving startup grants to begin this program in their classrooms are encouraged to contact us to find out how to be a part of this thriving program.”
Barbara Tilley, a third-grade teacher at Mintonye Elementary, says her class had a successful sale that raised $400 each for Columbian Park Zoo and Lafayette Transitional Housing. “My students have learned so much about money, paying bills and investing,” she says. “I'm so proud of their generous hearts and the support of our school to shop at our store — and it all started with the Purdue PCEE grant.”
Emily Ledbetter, a second-grade teacher at Hershey Elementary, also led a CBE project. “My favorite part of running a CBE was giving the students ownership of the business and all the good class discussions that we had about the project,” she says.
Media seeking more information on the Classroom Business Enterprise Showcase should contact the Daniels School's Marketing & Communications team at businessmedia@purdue.edu.
