Many teens’ first job includes some sort of fast food, retail or light office work. These fields among others introduce teens to the world of working and also provide them with tangible skills they will use for a lifetime.
Dreamapolis, an entreprenuer development organization that focuses on educating and connecting under-priviledged entrepreneurs from low-income urban neighborhoods to resources, is taking that concept and expanding it to include sophisticated and real-world experiences for budding entrepreneurs through the Young Dreamers program.
“After graduating from Tech (high school) and coming back after college, I saw some of my same friends on the same stoops they were sitting on in high school. Some were dead or in jail. I talked with someone at IMPD and asked ‘what are retailers concerned about.’ He said the hottest items stolen are soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste – basic living necessities. People aren’t just stealing, they’re trying to survive,” said Jaron Marquis Garrett, founder of Dreamapolis, on the birth of the organization. “But I thought, what if we could teach people how to start a company or build a business that can not only make money for their families, but change their lives.”
After getting the organization off the ground, Garrett decided to use the Dreamopolis concept and apply it to youth through the Young Dreamers program. The program’s goal is to provide under-served and under-resourced youth with the resources they need to become successful in business and life.
Garrett recalls a past student who entered the program with a 2.1 grade point average and no aspirations for college. Not only did the student graduate high school, but is currently attending Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.
“Business is important, but college is the true goal,” said Garrett. “It’s OK to be an entrepreneur, but to be a great entrepreneur, you need those English, physics and algebra classes. You need to know how to communicate well. These things help you be a better entrepreneur, no matter what industry you’re in.”
To get students from high school to college, the Young Dreamers program takes a unique approach. Their curriculum is based on Lemonade Day, but has been expanded to fit the needs of underprivileged youth.
Dreamapolis staff visits Arsenal Technical High School, the only school where the Young Dreamers program is offered, and gives a “pitch” to students about the program.
“We don’t go after the star students. The students we get are students who don’t have anything do. These are students who were falling through the cracks,” added Garrett.
After choosing a group of youth who have a strong desire to be in the program, Young Dreamers then devotes the school year to teach participants soft workplace skills, college prep, ACT and SAT prep, and entrepreneurial skills. Students have even learned how to conduct a business lunch and dinner.
They then get to test their business acumen by running a vending machine. Young dreamers are given $150 to start their “business” and the skills and mentoring needed to maintain the machine, such as sharing ideas, managing money and finding investors for their business.
Cidney Roberts said this program was perfect for a student like her, an aspiring entrepreneur.
“I’ve learned how to manage money and how to pitch for our business,” said the Tech high school junior. “The main thing I’ve learned is that entrepreneurship is the pitch, and college is the goal.”
Roberts’ beverage vending machine is located at the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce.
Weekly she visits the location to check, revise and add inventory. She creates an inventory list to help manage the machine. Her revenue doesn’t go toward new jeans or even school- it’s used for inventory and personal investments such as college tours around the Midwest and South.
“I’ve found that entrepreneurship is for me. It’s discipline, but it’s good discipline. I appreciate the program because I need that discipline,” said Roberts. “This program is a good way to earn money the right way. If you want to have your own business, this is the right way to go.”
Michael Huber, president and CEO of the Indy Chamber enjoys having Roberts’ machine in the building and said the Young Dreamers model fits with the chamber’s goals.
“We loved the opportunity to be a part of a project that would expose students to the realities of running a business. The staff said students were well organized and made a great pitch to the Chamber to request that we’d host the machine. We agreed. We saw firsthand the lessons students learned,” said Huber.
This upcoming school year, Roberts and other second year students will hand over their beverage machines to first-year Young Dreamers. Seasoned dreamers will then come up with a new, original business plan and work to execute it.
To remain in the program, all students must maintain an acceptable grade point average.
Garrett understands that not every Young Dreamer will become the next Bill Gates, however, the skill sets students learn will make them great employees. Furthermore, he’s pleased with how the program has helped students who otherwise wouldn’t get an opportunity to learn about business and flex their ideas; and most importantly help high schoolers go to college.
Huber agrees that small business and entrepreneurial services is one of the fastest growing program areas under the Indy Chamber umbrella of services, which shows entrepreneurship is a growing demand. Huber is happy that youth are not only interested in business, but they are getting real-world experience at an early age to become entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
Although the Young Dreamers program is only offered at Tech High School, Garrett said he is working on providing it in other schools. In the meantime, Huber said aspiring young entrepreneurs can begin their journey. His suggestions: If you have an idea and are passionate about it, reach out to business owners in that field and learn their successes and failures; accept constructive criticism; and build a network of mentors.
For more information on Dreamapolis or the Young Dreamers Program, visit Dreamapolis.com.
