The Gilbert Chamber Foundation has launched the Student Entrepreneurs Academy, an initiative aimed at helping local students develop entrepreneurial skills. The program was created to give young people the resources and support needed to turn their ideas into real projects.
According to the Foundation, its goals include encouraging early entrepreneurial thinking, teaching practical problem-solving and innovation skills, and fostering community connections through mentorship and collaboration. The organization stated that entrepreneurship is about more than starting businesses; it also involves seeing challenges as opportunities and finding solutions through creative thinking.
This year’s cohort includes Clark Ludlum (San Tan Junior High), Eli Traubenberg (Highland Junior High), Isabel Meixner (Meixner Academy), James Howell (Highland Junior High), and Vann Keough (Arizona College Prep). These students are learning how to pitch ideas, work together in teams, and approach problems with an entrepreneurial mindset.
The academy follows a four-phase structure: first, students focus on design thinking and transforming ideas into models; next, they learn about customers, branding, product development, and business finance; then they move on to marketing basics, sales strategies, communication skills, and operational planning; finally, participants pitch their ventures in a showcase event for the community. The program also includes field trips and mentorship opportunities.
The Gilbert Chamber Foundation believes that providing these experiences will help prepare students for a rapidly changing world by equipping them with essential entrepreneurial skills. “By investing in these students, we’re not just shaping their futures – we’re building a stronger, more innovative Gilbert,” according to the organization.
