VCHS Teen Entrepreneur and Business students participated in
the Ohio University – Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs STEM
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Forum on Monday, November 18. To kick off the forum, Representative, Jay
Edwards, Ohio House of Representatives, District 94, Majority Whip was
presented with the “2019 STEM & Entrepreneurship Champion Award.”After guest speakers addressed the group, students from six
school districts worked together in groups to identify a problem, develop a new
product/service, and pitch their ideas, using the Believe in Ohio Roadmap. The purpose of the forum was to create a “Culture of Innovation” and prepare students to meet the demands of a rapidly changing labor market by creating opportunities.
After the forum, students visited Athens Makerspace. This is
a membership-based facility, where people can use the woodshop, metal shop,
fabric/textile shop, or Electronics to create their own projects. Makerspace
also offers weekend classes, tool rentals, and individual help with learning to
use tools and equipment. Small groups of students were given a tour of the facility,
while others had the opportunity to play some retro video games as they waited
for their turn to tour.



