Entrepreneurial concepts and thinking are a schoolwide focus, and beginning in ninth grade, students may choose to be part of our four-year Entrepreneurial Leadership Program. We take pride in being the first secondary school in the nation to offer such a program. In this environment, we aim to help students become self-reliant and creative thinkers. We also encourage teamwork and problem-solving. Here, students are encouraged to embrace the idea that failure is a stepping stone to success, learn to adapt to changing circumstances, and build the kind of resilience needed to launch their own ventures.
Brad Dennis '87, Director of Entrepreneurial Leadership
Senior Capstone
The program’s four-year course progression culminates in the senior capstone class, Applied Models of Economics. Capstone students work with local entrepreneurs in the first semester to gain real-world experience and then create their own ventures in the second semester. At the end of the year, students compete in a shark-tank-like competition that is judged by a well-known panel of Nashville entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
EL students are equipped with the ability to:
- Map out a business idea,
- Assay target markets,
- Validate product/service need,
- Create marketing plans,
- Construct high-fidelity prototypes,
- Chart economically sound paths to the marketplace, and
- Confidently communicate all of the above to an informed audience.
Concentration Requirements: 3.0 Academic Credits
Required Courses
- Speech (.5 credit, part of Freshman Year Seminar Class)
- Economics of Business (.5 credit)
- Applied Models of Economics Honors (1 credit)* - Offered in 12th grade
- Elective Courses (must choose 2)
- Business Communication (.5 credit)
- Fabrication and Design Methods (.5 credit)
- Leadership for Entrepreneurs (.5 credit)
- Marketing for Entrepreneurs (.5 credit)
- Managerial Finance (.5 credit)
- Social Entrepreneurship (.5 credit)
*2.0 credit hours must be achieved prior to enrollment in Applied Models of Economics in the 12th grade year.
How does the EL Concentration help students towards college and their future? Are there opportunities outside of school for the students?
Students that participate in the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program will learn to be independent and creative thinkers while inculcating team-driven problem-solving skills. This learning environment will encourage students to fall forward, pivot, and build resilience as they prepare to be job creators of tomorrow. The learning is in the doing; student curiosity and sense of urgency drives the learning curve in this concentration. Students will have the opportunity following their junior year to participate in an internship program organized through the EL program along with the EL Advisory Board.
How many classes must a student complete in order to take Applied Models of Economics? When will my student take Applied Models of Economics, the EL Capstone course?
A total of four semester-long elective courses must be completed, including the required Economics of Business course, prior to applying for admission to the EL Capstone course.
What kind of experiences will students have in the Capstone course?
This class is unique in that students will be working directly with real entrepreneurs who will present them with critical problems to solve on their behalf. Students are responsible for inventorying and leveraging the distinct skill sets of team members while organizing timelines and presenting deliverables on time. Internet research, in-market surveys, and in-person interviews will be the primary forms of data capture. The instructor will regularly bring in subject matter experts to illuminate business concepts directly tied to project work. The apex of this course is the final project, wherein students use what they have learned during the school year to launch their startups. Students will refine their problem-solving and decision-making skills as they transform ideas into working business models. Students will develop strong communication skills and hone their ability to lead and contribute meaningfully to an entrepreneurial team. Prioritizing and discernment skills will crystallize through the progression of project work. This class is a vehicle to further develop BGA’s shared principles of integrity, inclusivity, intellectual curiosity, and innovation.
Throughout the year, the EL program hosts entrepreneurs and other area business leaders for lunch and learns, class discussions, and more. If you're interested in coming to talk with our students, serving as a mentor during our Capstone competition season, or partnering with the program to provide real-world learning opportunities to our students, please contact BGA EL Director Brad Dennis at [email protected]
The Yarbrough Family Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
The Yarbrough Family Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, inside the Sondra Morris and Robert N. Moore, Jr. '52 Center for Arts and Entrepreneurship, is home to our EL program. The center features board rooms designed for client meetings and pitches; multiple collaborative learning spaces, where student teams can work together to solve critical questions; and office space for entrepreneurs-in-residence. The CAE also includes a makerspace outfitted with state-of-the-art technology to engineer and produce student prototypes.