Evergreen Middle School in Kent, Washington hosted an IGNITE Start Your Own Business Workshop with Jetson on April 11, 2024. The event featured Jetson’s Co-founder and CTO Natalie Young, alongside Max Lieberman from Jetson’s Product Team, and Jessica Garcia, CEO of Vela Coaching.The event drew the participation of 20 enthusiastic 8th-grade students under the guidance of Educator Gil Simmons and Federal Way Public Schools Facilitator of Innovation and Community Partnerships, Charissa Eggleston.
The activities kickstarted with an exploration into the journey of creating a business. The Volunteers delved into the intricacies of aligning the students’ ideas with various business sectors, followed by a crash course on conceptualizing business ideas and coming up with compelling names.
After the interactive session, students fired away questions ranging from the practical “How much can one make in your field?” to the personal “Can you balance family life with entrepreneurship?” during the panel portion of the event. The Panelists shared their experiences, shedding light on the paths that led them to their current careers while encouraging students to embrace courage and forge their own paths rather than conforming to conventional molds.
Garcia and Young’s insights resonated deeply with the attendees, as they emphasized the significance of networking, exploring diverse interests, and nurturing a resilient spirit capable of surmounting any challenge. The Panelists words promoted empowerment through exploration and determination and the overall discourse during the panel discussion stood out and left an indelible mark on the students.
Thank you to our incredible Volunteers and Educators who made this event a success. Special thanks to Natalie Young, Max Lieberman, and Jessica Garcia for sharing their stories and introducing students to the world of entrepreneurism. Additional thanks to Educators Gil Simmons and Charissa Eggleston for their unwavering support and dedication to inspiring students through the IGNITE Program.
After attending this event:
78%
of students are interested in STEM
79%
of students know more about STEM career choices and the benefits of working in a STEM field
69%
of students feel more confident in pursuing STEM
69%
of students gained perspective and feel more hopeful about the future
Here’s what the students thought of the event:
“This event showed me how many STEM opportunities and jobs I can get. It also helped me see that I can start my own business, like how Nike and Dutch Bros were made.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me because it showed me more information about well-paying jobs and fun things I would be interested in. The thing I liked most today was seeing that there were females working too, not just males. That made me more comfortable.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“The event inspired me by showing me that I could achieve more than I thought. My favorite thing I learned was how many companies and businesses started.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“It helped me feel less confused and changed my perspective on work. My favorite thing was how the vlunteeers answered our questions and explained things. I’m really happy I got the opportunity to experience this event. It was really fun.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“It was pretty good because I got to attend a STEM event and learn everything about it, which will help me have a bright future. I also learned how they got to work in companies.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event showed me many careers I could pursue and where to start. It made me think about my future and what I want for myself. It made me believe I could do anything I put my mind to. My favorite thing I learned was how to start my career. It really helped plan my future and made everything easier.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“The volunteers shared their experiences and perspectives on their careers, which was really helpful. They were very open and thoughtful in answering questions, which was nice. I enjoyed learning how to pursue my career and how to benefit myself more. I liked how they gave different perspectives and advice on what we as teenagers can do now to be successful later.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“The event inspired me to work on building my business and being successful in life. My favorite thing I learned was how to create something I was interested in and start my business.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me to work hard and focus more on my future. My favorite thing I learned was how I could make my own websites and start my own business. I’m thankful the volunteers came and took the time to teach us that.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to pursue my dreams and made me feel confident. I was kind of scared for my future because I didn’t know what to do, but hearing them made it better. My favorite thing I learned today was what they did after college because I was wondering what to do after college. Thank you to the volunteers!” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me to want to start a business. It also inspired me to plan my future. My favorite thing I learned was the process of how to build a business.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me to try harder and commit to having a good future instead of settling. My favorite thing I learned today is to not put up with bad bosses. This was something I was unsure about.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me to think more about what I can do in the future. My favorite thing I learned today was how all those people worked together to make things to help students.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“Not all STEM careers are boring. I learned how many women can work in STEM careers and what I should do in high school to help me in the future.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me to pursue STEM and take extra steps. I’ve continued to use Jetson, and it has helped me a lot. My favorite thing I’ve learned is how these jobs function and focus on helping others and making things work.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“The event inspired me to learn more about STEM jobs and consider pursuing a job in STEM. My favorite thing I learned was how someone creates a job and how it works. Thank you, volunteers, for taking the time to work with us.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“It really inspired me to be more confident as a woman and to know that I can have a good job in life if I work hard. I learned about how to start a business and the app. Thank you for teaching us!” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“I learned a lot and got to ask questions, and their answers impacted me. I learned more about the app and how to start a business.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
About Jetson:
Jetson is an entrepreneurship app built for young minds to explore, create, and bring their business dreams to life. Through engaging, gamified quizzes and innovative AI tools, Jetson walks alongside you on your journey from idea to execution. Your dreams of starting a business are welcomed and celebrated as Jetson works with you to turn sparks of inspiration into exciting ventures. Build, learn, and grow with Jetson!
About IGNITE Program Workshop Events:
In-Person Workshops are held at the students’ school with a group of company volunteers. These volunteers lead students through a hands-on STEM experience in small groups and then students in an IGNITE Panel and Q&A discussion.
About IGNITE Worldwide:
IGNITE Worldwide is a 501(c)3 nonprofit STEM education organization that aims to change gender and racial equity in STEM permanently and systematically. We work directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes gender equity and representation in STEM academics and careers. Through our award-winning program, IGNITE provides engaging, hands-on events that connect students with STEM professionals from industry leaders from around the world. Learn more at www.igniteworldwide.org.
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