Glimpse of Life At MAPCS
Maya Angelou Student Entrepreneurs Travel to New York
by Michael Faulkner, SFF/MAPCS Student Entrepreneurial Program Director
See Forever’s second-year alliance with NFTE (National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship) provided a team of students from both Shaw and Evans the opportunity to attend Market Day in New York City in mid-November. Tonja McCoy (Shaw Campus NFTE Instructor), Beverly Jackson (Evans Campus NFTE Instructor), Michael Faulkner, director of the Student Entrepreneurship Program and12 students boarded a chartered bus at 4:15 a.m. on Friday November 19. Our team connected with other NFTE students from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and we departed from Northwestern High School in Prince George’s County ready to take New York City by storm.
NFTE provided each student with a food stipend and $50 in spending money. Their mission was to spend their money on one or more items that would sell at retail prices, once they returned home. Students were provided with tax exempt forms, a clear understanding of the objective and a strict schedule. With all profits from their sales theirs to keep, students were energized and quickly started negotiating prices and building business relationships with vendors.
Shemiah G. teamed up with Marquiz S. and quickly became the kings of belt buckles and sunglasses. Nelson J. quickly snatched up a very creative hooded sweatshirt and made a quick 200% profit on his investment upon his return to the school. and Ruth G. collected a vast array of assorted purses and jewelry. Ramon M. and Marcus M. devoted all of their funds into Washington Redskins earrings and had little trouble selling their gems at a 200 to 300 percent profit (Ingrid Padgett, SFF Director of Development was one of their first customers). Melissa S. collected the most business cards on the trip and was awarded a special prize for her efforts.
The return bus trip to Washington, D.C. was lively, fun and filled with buying and selling activity. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share the NFTE/NYC Market Day experience with others in our Maya Angelou community.
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Student Entrepreneurs Participate for the Second Year in the
African American Holiday Association Market Festival
Students from the Maya Angelou Public Charter School Student Entrepreneurship Program participated in the African American Holiday Association’s (AAHA) 24th Annual Marketplace Festival and Health Fair, held on December 22nd and 23rd at the Reeves Center located on the historic U Street corridor in Washington, D.C. The Marketplace Festival is an annual African-centered, holistic event where over 70 local merchants, craftspeople, artists, health providers and “YouthPreneurs” sell unique gifts.
Specifically, students participated in AAHA's Youth Entrepreneur Project (YEP), the hallmark of the festival, offering youth a learning opportunity as YouthPreneurs, event assistants and performers at the Marketplace. Since 1989, this activity has supported and trained over 1500 youth, aged 9-21, who earn their own money and gain leadership skills, as an alternative crime and violence prevention experience. Our Student Entrepreneurs collaborated with the program’s founder, Ayo Handy Keni (Mama Ayo) in preparation to sell student created items from their beautifully designed and decorated booth.
Student Entrepreneur’s Ruth G., Marcus M. and Tanchania B. were retail marketing geniuses as they worked the crowd with charm, professionalism and charisma. At the end of a long day, over $500 was generated from selling note cards, poetry & art books, Kwanzaa jewelry and donations. Our young entrepreneurs also established new relationships with potential donors and internship site partners, as well as distributed hundreds of SFF / MAPCS brochures on behalf of the Development Office.
The first half of the school year was a huge success, and has set the stage for an array of activities that will continue throughout the school year. Upcoming Student Entrepreneur activities include: Karaoke Café (monthly afternoons of Motown classics coffee, tea, food and family fellowship on the last Wednesday afternoon of each month) and the Student Art Auction planned for SFF/MAPCS’s May 9th “Phenomenal Woman” annual fundraiser at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C. |
