Teacher Alyssa Shore says the is more than just a work experience program.

Shore, a business education teacher at the 91原创 Education Centre, calls the course 鈥渁 class about rejection鈥� in that it teaches students to bounce back when they make a pitch that gets turned down.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be really exciting,鈥� Shore said.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to learn real-life skills.鈥�

The program for grade 10-12 students started in September.

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About 10 students will meet once a week for about a year to learn about and discover local and global societal needs, design entrepreneurial solutions to them, and learn strategies to implement their ideas.

Local entrepreneurs will regularly present in classes and students will be matched with an outside mentor.

A first for 91原创, the course is a joint undertaking of the district and the .

Dawne Tomlinson, Director of Instruction for the 91原创 School District, said it will provide 91原创 students with 鈥渁uthentic learning experiences to hone the skills they will need to be successful in a rapidly changing world 鈥� skills such as creative thinking, critical thinking and communication.

The course wraps up with a province-wide Venture Challenge described as a 鈥淒ragon鈥檚 Den-like鈥� pitch competition held at the end of the year where groups present their ideas to entrepreneurs and investors.

Earlier this year, YELL and Simon Fraser University announced that they are exploring offering SFU credit to high school students completing the YELL program.

The YELL website says it aims to create 鈥測oung leaders for an increasingly uncertain future (by creating) experiences that expose youth to the stories, skills, ideas, and technologies that have the potential to radically change our future.鈥�

dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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