Business
Program at Wellington Elementary that puts minority students on the path to careers in business
Black business owners in Louisville are giving local elementary school students the tools they need for a career in business. On Thursday, local small business owner Brittney Griffin spent her morning at Wellington Elementary School giving students clues about the 75 different business ideas that came to their minds this semester. It was the latest step in a new school program aimed at getting young minority children interested in becoming entrepreneurs. “It wasn’t even a thought when I was her age,” Griffin said. “My thought was, I can’t wait to go to school so I can eat. They think I can’t wait to go to school so I can learn how to be a business owner.” Wellington Elementary Art & Music Teacher Hannah Jewell is the one spearheading this experience. “A lot of these kids don’t even have the ability to think outside the box,” Jewell said. “This gives them a chance to take a small idea and turn it into such a big flower.” Jewell said it originally started as a Black History Month project. She just wanted the business owners to come in and tell their stories, but those stories got the kids interested in ideas,” Jewell said. On Thursday, they presented these ideas to the very business owners that inspired them. This is the first time the school holds an event like this, but Jewell said she hopes to host another next year. Her overarching goal is for the partnership between the students and the business owners to become a lifelong partnership. “I want the business owners to see that they can work with JCPS, and then connect with their community, not just adults but children as well.” What Griffin hopes will help set children down an easier path than the one she had to travel.” If I had this opportunity at her age, I’d be in a much better place than I am now,” Griffin said.
Black business owners in Louisville are giving local elementary school students the tools they need for a career in business.
On Thursday, local small business owner Brittney Griffin spent her morning at Wellington Elementary School giving students clues about the 75 different business ideas they had developed that semester.
It was the latest step in a new school program aimed at getting young minority children interested in becoming entrepreneurs.
“It wasn’t even a thought when I was her age,” Griffin said. “My thought was, I can’t wait to go to school so I can eat. They think I can’t wait to go to school so I can learn how to be a business owner.”
Hannah Jewell, an elementary school arts and music teacher in Wellington, is the one spearheading this experience.
“A lot of these kids don’t even have the ability to think outside the box,” Jewell said. “It gives them a chance to take a small idea and turn it into such a big flower.”
Jewell said it originally started as a Black History Month project. She just wanted the business owners to come in and tell their stories, but those stories piqued the children’s interest.
“Then our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders got into groups of four, and in those groups they came up with their own business ideas,” Jewell said.
On Thursday, they pitched those ideas to the very business owners who inspired them.
This is the first time the school has held such an event, but Jewell said she hopes to host another next year. Their overarching goal is for the partnership between the students and the business owners to become a lifelong partnership.
“Some of the business owners actually talked about mating in the summer,” Jewell said. “I want business owners to see that they can work with JCPS and then connect with their community, not just adults but kids too.”
What Griffin hopes will help set children down an easier path than the one she had to travel.
“If I had that opportunity at her age, I’d be in a much better place than I am now,” Griffin said.
