“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Entrepreneurial Design Project not only encourages students to think creatively, but it also allows them the opportunity to fail and to learn from those failures. This project gives students the freedom to trust in themselves and take risks. What a rich educational experience! After the successful completion of their culminating project, the grade 8 students have demonstrated that they exhibit the principles our school is founded on; Character, Inquiry, and Community. Above all else, students have learned teamwork, compromise, persistence, and dedication.

The students in grade 8 spent the last five months working diligently in preparation for this school-wide celebration. Students were tasked with creating an eco-friendly, innovative product or service that would become the foundation for which their small businesses were based upon. Students were put into groups of two or three and were asked to complete a full business plan, a promotional video ad, create a logo, create a financial and marketing plan, and make an original social media platform. All of this was solely in preparation for their final showcase which took place on Friday, May 17th.

In preparation for presentations, students were tasked with creating an original Tri-fold board, deliver an elevator speech and present to the student body about their challenges and what they learned throughout the process. In those five minute presentations, students were witnessed moving beyond theoretical business owners into authentic role models in the SJA Jeju community. Every one of these students has proven that they can push beyond themselves in order to reach (and surpass) a goal.

Congratulations to the class of 2023, what an accomplishment! We look forward to all you will do in your years to come as a part of the SJA Jeju community.