Elementary school should prepare a student for middle school, middle should prepare students for high school, and high school should empower young adults with skills to flourish in the “real world”. However, less than half of students leave high school feeling confident about their skills to handle everyday responsibilities. BestPrep has been equipping students across the state through its many programs with the guidance they need to navigate life beyond high school. MBV is the quintessence of high school programs that will prepare students for the real world.
To begin the morning, CEO of Pearson Candy Company, Michael Keller, expressed the significance of cultivating a great personal brand and the consequence of sowing an image that badly portrays who you are. Michael said that the primary way we can extend our brand to many people is through social media. He then wisely warned we must be careful of how we display our brand on the internet, as employers nearly always search potential candidates on Google. It is lessons like these that students seldom receive from reading a text book, but have the effect of making or breaking a successful career.
Accentuating today’s main goal of preparing the campers with real life skills, they were given the chance to attend breakout sessions which taught students specific information about how to solve every day problems in “the real world”. There were five classes open for attendance with topics ranging from ‘How to Rent an Apartment” to “Banking Services”. The executives presenting the information gave practical advice in a way that was personable and hard hitting to teenagers. Many students stayed afterwards to speak with the “Banking Services” speaker to ask questions and connect on LinkedIn. Minnesota Business Venture campers have a hunger for knowledge and a will to develop professional friendships.
Next, students got to hear the lessons that are rarely taught in school: ethics and philanthropy. To emphasize the importance of morals in the business world, it was only just to hear from a man who went into a state of immorality, and in the end reconciled his unethical actions. John Rubischko, a former convict for credit fraud, told students how a few immoral decisions quickly turned his life upside down. John’s poignant journey will certainly stay in students’ minds to keep them on the correct path when faced with a tough moral decision. In the final break out session of the day, corporate philanthropy executives addressed students on the responsibility of large companies giving back to the community.
To finish the day, students and their small group leaders (CEOs) had a few hours to work on their final business plans for tomorrow. On Thursday afternoon, all small groups will be expected to have a product or service with a subsequent business plan which they will perform to “investors” (judges) asking to buy shares to start up their company. The projects are looking astoundingly realistic! Expectations are high – keep posted tomorrow to hear about who secures an investment!