Page 171 - 1-Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Development by Norman Walzer (z-lib.org)

160 Craig Schroeder

contain all the materials for the class. Other educators want to use a variety
of resources and create hands-on class and community-based activities.
Many rural schools have insufficient resources to dedicate an entire
course and teacher to entrepreneurship, so this topic is presented as a sec-
tion of Business Law, Family Consumer Science, or Current Events. It can
also be challenging to fit entrepreneurship into the class schedule among
other required electives for college-bound students. Again, incorporating
entrepreneurship into existing courses has been a solution to this con-
straint.
As noted previously, the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education is a
helpful clearinghouse of information on entrepreneurship curricula and
supporting resource materials. Before engaging in a conversation with
school administrators or faculty about offering a class, it would be useful to
review the curriculum descriptions presented on their Website. It may also
help to refer educators to this Website so they also have a better idea of ma-
terials available for teaching entrepreneurship.

Supportive Community Environment
Communities can partner with schools as a learning laboratory where
students practice the knowledge gained in the classroom. This may involve
apprenticeships, selling products at school events, interviewing local entre-
preneurs, or undertaking a community service project.
Another element involves utilizing local experts to work with young en-
trepreneurs. For example in Ord, Nebraska, two local bankers worked with
students in preparing loan applications for their class projects. A marketing
professional based in the community helped students design marketing
plans. The radio station owner worked with the student to produce adver-
tisements that played on the air.
In addition to these roles, community leaders taking an interest in young
entrepreneurs can change attitudes among young people about the com-
munity and their future. Building relationships with students who want to
be involved in the community, supporting their efforts, and celebrating
their community and entrepreneurial projects can help them develop into
productive citizens and also make a community more attractive to young
people as a place to stay or return.

Peer Networking
Just as with entrepreneurial adults, youth entrepreneurs need a “place” to
associate with peers who think the way they do. Providing a space for them
to interact with other young entrepreneurs allows them to feed off each