SAN ANTONIO – We've all seen "Shark Tank" with elevator pitches hoping to get the attention of investors to turn a dream into a successful business.
That's what's happening in one of the classrooms at Alamo Heights High School.
Student groups will compete for a chance to win $10,000 toward the business they created in the Heights Business Incubator program in May when they pitch their idea to a local board of investors!
That's right, each group in the Heights Business Incubator class creates their own business model and works one-on-one with a professional mentor.
"When they walk in here, it's a shift of mindset, that you've left school and now you're here and you're working towards your business," said Patrice Bartlett, lead teacher for Heights Business Incubator program. "This is not a high school project, there's no test, no homework assignments. Everything they are doing is specifically targeted to creating their business."
Mentors from within the community volunteer each week lending their expertise for each group either in person or via video conference calls.
"We've asked them (the students in the Heights Business Incubator program) to leave school behind and walk it a business world, but they're still applying all of those lessons that we've taught them for so long," said Cathy Klumpp, teacher, Heights Business Incubator program.
One of the groups is trying to create a rideshare service that helps parents by picking up their children from activites.
"Basically it's like an Uber for kids," said Carlos Muniz, senior, Alamo Heights High School. "We're trying to make everything safer which is the big issue... right now it would be great to say that we can take it all the way and I think we can. What we learn here is going to help you for the rest of your life."
Thank you to Go Public and Orangetheory Fitness for making these school features possible.
For more information about Go Public, visit wegopublic.com.