Wheeling High School begins Entrepreneurship Class

Wheeling High School debuted an entrepreneurship program this school year based off the popular Lean Method that helps develop businesses.

Students choose their product by thinking of a solution to a current problem. The product is tested throughout the school year to judge whether it could succeed in the marketplace. The class concludes with "Pitch Week" in May, when the groups pitch their ideas to possible investors.

The class also involves more than 20 outside business partners, or "coaches," who co-teach the class between two and four days on their area of expertise. The topics include Marketing, Website Development, Finance, and Business Law. Business partners also participate by acting as mentors to the student groups during the school year.

The course, which has 40 students, is taught by John Kritek and Chad Scoggins. Current product ideas students are working on include an app for finding the perfect shoe for any sport and an app that guides individuals through grocery stores and ties in coupons. The course is taught in the new Innovation Lab at Wheeling High School, which is designed similar to a corporate think tank.

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