This summer, 11 middle school students spent four weeks turning creative ideas into real business plans through Future U.S. Entrepreneurs (FUSE®), a free partnership between Mahtomedi Community Education and Royal Credit Union.
Along the way, students explored what it takes to launch a business, learning about budgeting, marketing, planning, communication, and problem-solving while refining their ideas with guidance from mentors.
To wrap up the program, students presented their businesses to a panel of local business and community leaders, who offered feedback and celebrated their hard work.
The ideas were as creative as the students behind them, including a bakery, an AI learning tool, an at-home car wash invention, and a live theater streaming service.
For one student, the experience felt bigger than a class.
“I’ve had a lot of side businesses, but I learned I really liked actually getting into it and figuring out all the pricing. I would probably make this a real business someday.”
We love creating opportunities where students can explore their interests and connect classroom learning to the real world.
Thank you to our partners at Royal Credit Union and the local business and community leaders who helped inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs! Click here to see behind-the-scenes moments from the program!