Students at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford have been developing their business plans and will begin executing them next week.
The Northwest Catholic economics students and their mentors after the Vie for the Kids Business Competition kickoff. Submitted photo
Submitted by Kimberly Sanders Spera, Northwest Catholic High School
Northwest Catholic High School kicked off its inaugural “Vie for the Kids” Business Competition on Feb. 26, 2016. Fifty 12th grade Economics students will be developing business plans and executing against them in the upcoming eight weeks to deepen their understanding of business strategy and community development and responsibility. The proceeds will benefit the Clinical Trials Program at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.
The teams will be guided through the process of developing a business plan, including the ideation phase that will lead to realizing each team’s project. Seed money will serve as an investment for each team to help them get their ideas off the ground. Along the way, the seven teams will have an adult mentor to help position them for success as they launch their ideas into action and turn those dollars into something much greater. The program will demonstrate to students how they can build and execute a successful business plan while realizing the importance of helping others at the same time.
“Innovative, experiential learning is a big part of the Northwest Catholic student experience and a cornerstone of our LEADS curriculum and this is a great example of real world experience created within our curriculum,” said David Eustis, President and Chief Administrator. “And the fact that we’re partnering with Vie for the Kids on this is fantastic. Speaking for the entire NWC faculty and student body, we’re so glad that we’re able to help the kids battling cancer at CT Children’s Medical Center.”
Winners will be selected by the panel of business leaders and entrepreneurs in early May. The criteria for success will be weighted with three factors: creativity, collaboration and actual revenue results. Business plan presentations are scheduled for March 14 and then the students will execute their plans from March 15 – May 10.
About vie for the kids™
vie for the kids™ is the name of the annual fundraising effort developed by vie™, a Simsbury based national company that focuses on sales force excellence. Vie for the Kids mission is to fund cancer clinical trials treatment and research at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and to provide financial support for cancer patients and their families. Vie for the Kids is committed to ensuring that our kids continue to receive world-class care and treatment right here in our own backyard.
