Page 176 - 1-Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Development by Norman Walzer (z-lib.org)

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Effective Entrepreneurship

Education Programs

Joseph Kayne

In the previous chapter, Schroeder makes the case that encouragement and
support of youth is critical to the success of any local entrepreneurship strat-
egy, providing examples of young residents who exemplify this approach.
The significant short- and long-term contributions these young people
make to their communities beg the question, “How do we make this kind
of behavior the rule rather than the exception?” A good place to start is the
local education system. We know that one of the distinguishing character-
istics of successful entrepreneurs is a culture of lifelong learning, but where
does this thirst for information knowledge begin?
This chapter addresses the role of education in starting students on an en-
trepreneurial path, the keys to an effective student experience, and the chal-
lenges to implementing an entrepreneurship education program. In partic-
ular, the chapter focuses on entrepreneurship education at the elementary
and secondary school levels.

THE CASE FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION

There is a significant difference between the percentage of students who ex-
press an interest in starting or running their own businesses and the percent-
age who feel they have the skills and knowledge to do so (Walstad and Kouril-
sky 1999). As early as 1995, Marilyn Kourilsky, then–vice president of the
Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, suggested this gap resulted
from an education system focused on a “take-a-job” mentality, preparing stu-
dents to work for someone else (Kourilsky 1995). Lack of self-confidence in

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