Learning About Myself

About 3 years ago, I was a freshman signing up for my courses, and I saw that the school was offering an Entrepreneurial Studies class. Lacking any other courses that interested me, I signed up having no expectations. I vividly remember we started out the first day one-by-one having to go up in front of the whole class and the only instruction was “talk about yourself.” I will never forget that day because I honestly don’t think I have ever been that nervous in my life. I have been in dances, shows, sports, and I had never felt that uncomfortable.

Everyone loves to talk about themselves, we can go on and on about who we are, yet in that moment it was like I didn’t know a thing about who I was. I think the reason I remember that day so vividly was because that was one of those days that sticks with you. One of those days that forces you to change. Now as I have been in that class for over 2 years, and I am going into my third, I look back on that statement, “go up and talk about yourself,” as the easiest thing ever to be done, and I owe that all  to The Startup Studio.

From being that nervous freshman in the first year, then completing my sophomore year, and now going into junior year, I am so proud to say that The Startup Studio has helped me find my confidence; it has made me have an urge to take risks without fearing failure; it has made me become better with talking to people; and it has made me learn so much about myself that I would’ve never expected.

I find it very interesting since this class is the only class that I take that is not a graded course and I work the hardest in it and look forward to it the most. The typical high school classroom teaches “at” you, involves memorization, and most of the time when the class is over, you don’t remember a single thing you supposedly learned. In contrast, in Entrepreneurial Studies we are challenged to learn the curriculum in a more interactive approach, forcing students to get out of their comfort zone, work with others, fail and not be ashamed of it, and learn from these failures.

My favorite part of the class is that the teacher takes an individual interest in each student and teaches them according to their strengths and weaknesses. All in all, I believe if every class used The Startup Studio methods, students would get more out of school and enjoy learning.

A Parent’s Perspective

My daughter Carly, participated in the Startup Studio these past couple of years. The workshops, activities, and exercises were so meaningful and thought provoking. The Startup Studio teaches real life lessons that can be applied to these students’ everyday lives and grow them into more confident, deeper thinking adults.

By Carly Siegel, LTS Alumnus