Over the last five years, Pine Crest Upper School students with an interest in entrepreneurship have had the opportunity to apply for the three-year social entrepreneurship program.
Taught by Mrs. Keri Kolettis, Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Pine Crest, this unique curriculum focuses not just on the traditional elements of entrepreneurship but challenges students to think about how they can make a positive impact on communities.
“The curriculum was designed beyond simply learning about ‘business principles,’” said Mrs. Kolettis. “It is unique to Pine Crest Upper School. This program serves as an extension of Dr. Markham’s vision for students to gain practical experience and make an impact in a real-world setting.”
The course incorporates service learning, experiential learning, collaboration, leadership development, emerging technologies, and research-based practices that encourage students to think critically and creatively. “Students delve into complex issues across academic disciplines,” continued Mrs. Kolettis, “and develop a deep understanding of global challenges. We have embedded experiences in the classroom to ensure cultural competence and worldly perspectives both in the curriculum and through guest speakers. Students are learning how to be a voice for those who don’t have one, whatever their interests may be.”
The application process to join the program spans eight weeks and includes interviews with current students in the program. “I am a coach putting together a multifaceted team,” said Mrs. Kolettis. “I need the actor, the mathematician, the graphic designer, the yearbook editor, the quarterback—a group of like-minded individuals with different talents and interests who possess an entrepreneurial mindset to analyze, engage in critical thinking, collaborate, be communicative and resilient. I am looking for students who demonstrate accountability and advocacy, have stress tolerance, can take mentorship feedback, can fail forward, and who can be reflective.”
The first year of the class focuses on the science of team building and skills to pinpoint far-reaching issues that need solutions. “Every incoming cohort has a culture,” said Mrs. Kolettis. “They have to answer ‘what binds us, brings us together, and what do we stand for?’ We learn how to identify problems on a community, regional, and global level, and discuss opportunity recognition.”
“We distinguish traditional entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship,” Mrs. Kolettis explained, “which focuses on conscious capitalism and corporate social responsibility. We look at the entrepreneurial landscape which refers to passion, people, purpose, and profit. I tell students that they must be passionate about what they’re doing—a passion-first approach. Then they have to look at sustainability, feasibility, and how they will capture value. Students identify potential mentors, opportunities for venture capitalism, and how to raise seed money to launch their ideas. But they must also be proficient presenters and storytellers. “You can be the smartest person in the room, but if you can’t articulate your ‘why,’ no one is going to get it.”
The second year of the program shifts the focus to finance—business models, budget, expenditures, cost analysis, profit and loss statements, three-to-five year projections, branding and marketing, and work in the School’s makerspace, the Zimmerman Family iLab, for prototyping.
During the final year of the program, students focus on customer discovery, including journey maps and personas, and exploring leadership styles such as Level 5 Leadership, which encompasses personal humility and professional will.
Throughout the three years, students are required to complete two 80-hour internships and hold a sustained mentorship with a fellow entrepreneur in addition to participating in a variety of competitions.
“Competition breeds innovation, and innovation breeds entrepreneurship,” said Mrs. Kolettis. “Every year has a capstone element like design sprint, which takes place over three to five days where teams of students are tasked with solving a problem.”
Students recently traveled to the Dunn School in Los Olivos, California to compete in the Diamond Challenge, the world’s top-rated entrepreneurship competition for high school students. The competition was created through Horn Entrepreneurship, the creative engine for entrepreneurship education and advancement at the University of Delaware. Teams from around the world pitched their social innovations and business models to industry leaders.
Five Pine Crest teams were chosen to pitch their products and services in front of a live panel of judges, where 850 other teams from 77 countries also pitched.
Logan Schwedelson ’26, Johanna Henry ’26, Eshaan Atreya ’26, and Hunter Gittlin ’26 of team DeCarb won first place at the competition and will advance to the Diamond Challenge Global Summit to compete against the 50 top teams in the world. Their product is a catalytic converter that minimizes carbon emissions.
“I want students to leave the program prepared to look at the world, recognize problems, and identify solutions,” said Mrs. Kolettis. Rather than fixating exclusively on business principles, economics, and finance, students also need to be exposed to an array of content curricula that encompass innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, engineering, marketing, and social media. Many will leave and continue building out their start-ups, but entrepreneurship is not necessarily what every graduate of the program wants to pursue.”
Looking ahead, Mrs. Kolettis continues to integrate globally-focused learning opportunities into the program. In 2022-23, a cohort of juniors participated in a Pioneer Academics Global Problem Solving Institute pilot program where they worked with peers from five other countries on two prompts: Disabling Non-Communicable Diseases and Food Fixes and the Climate Crisis. Mrs. Kolettis presented pilot results with Pioneer researchers at a co-curricular summit. Following, Pine Crest received an invitation from Pioneer for three groups of five students each to participate in the 2023-24 program focusing on Analyzing AI: Taming the Technology that is Shaping our Future, Addressing the Challenges of Chronic Conditions, and Improving Access to Clean Water.
The Class of 2025 cohort with Will Conway ’04, COO of City Furniture and Entrepreneur in Residence
New this year is an Entrepreneur in Residence program aimed at bridging the gap between academia and the real-world business environment, providing students with valuable insights into entrepreneurship and innovation through sustained mentorships with industry leaders. In collaboration with the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, students are actively participating in a virtual Instructor Series. The first session focused on Identifying and Understanding a Problem with a Sustainability Mindset and innovating for resilience, and throughout the semester will learn from Polsky Center experts about translating deep technology innovations into startups that bring world-changing science and technology to market.
“As Dr. Markham says, our world needs leaders who think deeply with a global perspective, and who have the courage to challenge the norm, break barriers, and move forward with confidence,” said Mrs. Kolettis. “The social entrepreneurship program is equipping students with skills and this mindset. We are educating students to own the future.”