Following the success of the school’s first cohort of Discovery graduates in 2022, Hoxton Park High School in Sydney’s South West was excited to partner again with the Sydney School of Entrepreneurship (SSE) to deliver the program again in 2023.
And so, two dozen more Year 9 STEM students launched their Discovery journey in July with the program kick-off at SSE HQ in Ultimo; a fun, full-day workshop aimed at introducing students to the fundamentals of innovation and entrepreneurship, which included forming their all-important teams and beginning the process of identifying a problem to solve and ideating solutions to those problems together.
Then, over the next ten weeks of blended delivery – both in-house and online, amounting to twenty learning hours in total – students completed six modules, each representing an important step in the process of breathing life into a startup, small business, or ‘side hustle’ idea;
- Problem Statement
- Solution
- Prototype
- Validation
- Business Model
- Storytelling and Pitching
Throughout, students’ Discovery experience was supported throughout by Hoxton Park High School’s STEM teachers and SSE’s in-house facilitators, who worked together to provide expert feedback and mentorship throughout students’ learning journey.
The final module, Storytelling and Pitching, is always a fun time, with students facing the all-too-common ‘fear of public speaking’ to present their solutions as a team.
SSE’s Lead, Facilitation and Engagement, Frank Newman, shared his reflections afterwards, saying “the students embraced the pitch day and really stepped up to overcome their fears of getting on stage. Each group presented their innovative business solution, demonstrating the newly acquired pitching techniques and showcasing their slide decks. It was an impressive showcase of talented young people.”
Feedback from students was encouraging, too. "Doing Discovery helped me see how to turn ideas into real solutions. Before doing this program, I never realised how important it is to understand a problem thoroughly before jumping to solutions. Now, I feel more confident in my ability to make a difference and tackle real-world challenges with a bit more of a framework for success than I had before," said one student.
"Pitching our ideas to the expert panel was nerve-wracking but incredibly rewarding," shared another. "Also, it wasn't just about the presentation; it was about convincing others of our vision, so we learned how important it is to be clear and confident when we’re presenting.”
Communication and collaboration, valuable skills and capabilities that can be employed both professionally and personally throughout life, are also integral to the Discovery process.
"Working in teams to brainstorm and develop our project was a highlight for me. It taught me the value of collaboration and how different people’s perspectives can really lead to bigger/better ideas. Discovery was a real eye-opener…now I’m thinking about entrepreneurship as a career!”
The students’ welcome feedback underscores the transformative impact of the Discovery program on young minds, and how, given a framework of guidance and support, programs like this help equip kids with the skills and confidence they need to survive (and thrive!) in the workforces of the future.
