Students of Erie Public Schools using the opportunity discover canvas to find a problem, create a solution, and form a connection to others facing the problem.
On Thursday, May 31 at 10 a.m., students from Woodrow Wilson, Strong Vincent, and East Middle Schools participated in the Ice House Showcase Event at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst University. The event included a student forum presentation, display tours, and a panel discussion.
The Ice House program, a partnership of Erie’s Public Schools, United Way of Erie County, the Innovation Collaborative and IU5, was launched as a pilot for all 7th graders in Erie’s Public Schools in October of 2017. Throughout the spring semester of this school year, all 7th-grade students participated in interactive classroom lessons based on a curriculum developed by the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative. Funding from the United Way of Erie County supported the purchase of the curriculum which is intended to teach students ways to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and expand their individual potential.
Each school held a showcase event earlier in May, where students presented their ideas for projects that use an entrepreneurial mindset to solve real-life problems. On May 31, students selected from their schools presented these projects at a showcase event held at the D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.
Gary Schoeniger, founder of the ELI attended the event and lead a panel discussion with students, parents and community members to discuss what they learned as part of the project. United Way of Erie County President Mr. Bill Jackson was also in attendance.
View a video produced by Erie Schools about the initiative here: