Last week, students from Eliot Hine Middle School joined Summit for a Thanksgiving potluck. After the group dined on an array of traditional holiday foods, the students gave their “elevator pitches” about their business ideas developed as part of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) curriculum. Summit has volunteered with NFTE to mentor the students during the school year.
Accompanied by their teacher Mr. LaFleur, the 7th grade students traveled to the Summit headquarters, located in downtown Washington D.C. Summit staff members made their best dishes, such as mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and stuffing, and brought them into the office to share. Operations Manager Catherine Tucker made sure we wouldn’t go hungry; she ordered three turkeys, a ham, and many pies for dessert.
After the feast, each student had 30 seconds to pitch their product and/or business to the group. They introduced themselves, discussed their ideas, and reviewed the steps they would take to successfully run the business. Summit will continue to visit the students in their classroom and help them to refine their plans.
We’re happy to have shared this holiday celebration with the students from Eliot Hine. Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Summit!