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Clarksville-Montgomery County students launch entrepreneurship program
The Founders INC program at the Burt Innovation Center gives high school students access to professional equipment, mentorship, and real-world business experience.
A new entrepreneurship program just launched in Clarksville, giving high school students the tools to build real businesses. Here’s how it works.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System launched a new entrepreneurship program this school year, giving high school students the chance to develop real businesses while still in school.
The program, called Founders INC, gives students access to cutting-edge technology — including 3D printers — and mentorship from community entrepreneurs who can provide guidance and serve as sounding boards for their ideas. Students will also be required to pitch their business concepts to real adults.
Jacoby Stratton, a student enrolled in the program, said he is looking forward to what it has to offer.
“I’m gonna be trying to make new business ideas for whatever I get there and hopefully try and see what I could be able to do.”
Stratton said the program fills a gap for students who might not otherwise have access to this kind of opportunity.
“It’s gonna be like really important because some people aren’t able to actually do stuff like this, like do it by themselves, and if there’s a program like this out, then they’ll have a lot of help with making stuff.”
His father, Lawrence Novakowski, said the program brings together community experience and hands-on learning in a meaningful way.
“I feel that it’s gonna bring the community’s entrepreneur mindset and abilities to the students and allow them to have creative ideas while having somebody to bounce as a sounding board and bring realistic mindsets to the optimistic field simultaneously as they come up with their ideas, they have the opportunity to bring them to life with the 3D printers, the tools that they have, and then they have to follow along and actually market the products and see how they’re gonna work in the actual commercial setting.”
Lawrence Novakowski also encouraged families to pay attention to the range of programs already available through the school system.
“Clarksville CMCS has a lot of opportunities that they’re published, they’re everywhere, they’re on the Facebook, and there’s just not a lot of, uh, applicants sometimes and some of the programs go unnoticed. Everything from TCAT to the academies at all the local high schools to this new program, it’s just an immense opportunity for our students to go from anywhere to trade school, to college, and different programs for the future.”
Jacoby’s mother, Jamie Novakowski, said the program addresses more than just business skills.
“One of the things that I’m excited about is the fact that a lot of these kids now, they don’t have a lot of interpersonal skills. They, they aren’t good with speaking in front of adults or doing things like this. So now they, they have to, they have to pitch ideas, they have to give presentations, you know, they’re even doing like podcasting. I mean, they have to be put in uncomfortable situations that I feel like they, it can make them more comfortable with the future.”
Jamie Novakowski said community investment in students has a lasting impact.
“When you invest in the kids as a community, if you invest in them, it makes them more excited for their future, and it’s gonna give them the motivation to continue and try to do other things.”
The program is designed to push students out of their comfort zones. Organizers hope the presentation skills and real-world business experience will prepare students for whatever path they choose after graduation.
Are you or your student considering joining Founders INC? Watch the full story to hear directly from students and parents about what makes this program different — and why they believe it could change the future for Clarksville’s next generation of entrepreneurs. Have a story tip or want to share your experience with the program? Reach out to Eric.Pointer@NewsChannel5.com
This story was reported by Eric Pointer and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Eric Pointer and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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