JA Entrepreneurial Mindset, part of the JA High School Experience courses, is a one-semester teacher-led course that introduces high school students to the basics of starting a business, including developing entrepreneurial abilities, identifying a business opportunity, creating a business plan, economics, and the stages of business growth. Volunteers engage with students through a variety of activities that includes subject matter guest speaking and coaching or advising for case study and project course work.
Students will:
Learn the necessary concepts applicable to state and national educational standards
Apply these standards-based concepts to the real world
Synthesize elective concepts through a cumulative, tangible deliverable (project)
Analyze a business situation or principle through the use of a case study
Demonstrate the skills necessary for future career pathway success
Program Concepts
Business change, Business goals, Business life cycle, Business plan, Business plan elements, Balance sheet, Cash, Cash flow statement, Characteristics of entrepreneurs, Code of ethics, Costs, Economic decision making, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial skills, Entrepreneurial problem solving, Equity, Ethics, Ethical behavior, Ethical dilemma, Exchange, Executive summary, Expansion stage, Expenses, Exports, Financials, Franchising, Growth challenges, Growth plan, Growth stage, Impact of imports, Imports, Income statement, International trade, Intrapreneur, Investor options, Licensing, Maturity stage, Needs and wants, Opportunity cost, Organizational level, Overseas marketing, Pitch, Pricing, Producer prices, Production, Production and distribution costs, Profit, Profitability, Resources, Revenue, Scarcity, Social responsibility, Specialization, Stakeholders, Startup funding, Startup stage, Steps to startup, Supply and demand, The problem solving process, The profit equation, Wholesale prices
Skills Students Learn
- Analyze advantages and disadvantages
- Analyze financial information
- Analyze real world situations
- Apply a strategy
- Calculate information
- Compare and contrast
- Evaluate ideas
- Evaluate information
- Evaluate options
- Find a solution
- Make connections
- Make informed decisions
- Present information
- Research information
- See a problem
- Think critically