With a growing interest to “be your own boss,” students at Benjamin Russell High School are offered the unique opportunity to learn the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. Younger generations can take advantage of the Wildcat Entrepreneur Academy, a yearlong program concentrating on the fundamentals of business.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for our local students and one that really highlights the partnership between the chamber, the Alexander City School System and our business community,” said Jacob Meacham, vice president of business development for Alexander City Chamber of Commerce.
kAm%96 (:=542E t?EC6AC6?6FC p4256>J :D F?56C E96 DFA6CG:D:@? @7 E96 492>36C[ H9:49 :D 7:EE:?8 H:E9 :ED >:DD:@?] %H@ A2CED @7 :ED 7:G6\J62C DEC2E68:4 A=2? 7@4FD @? 2 A2CE?6CD9:A H:E9 65F42E:@? 2?5 AC@>@E:?8 6?EC6AC6?6FCD9:A 2D 2 AC@?8 @7 64@?@>:4 56G6=@A>6?E]k^Am
kAm“(6 H2?E E@ 7@DE6C 2 4@>>F?:EJ @7 6?EC6AC6?6FCD] (6’C6 =2J:?8 E96 7@F?52E:@? @7 =62C?:?8 2 3FD:?6DD A=2?[ >2C<6E:?8[ AF3=:4 DA62<:?8[ 2?5 E96C6 :D C62= >@?6J @? E96 =:?6] (6’G6 8:G6? E96> E96 E@@=D E92E ?@ >2EE6C H96C6 E96J 8@[ E96J H:== 36 96=A7F=[” D2:5 t5 r@==2C:[ AC6D:56?E 2?5 rt~ @7 p=6I2?56C r:EJ r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46]k^Am
kAm%96 (tp :D @A6? E@ DEF56?ED :? 8C256D ?:?6 E9C@F89 `a[ 2D A2CE @7 |2?5: sFCC’D 6?EC6AC6?6FC 4=2DD 2E q#w$] %96 @3;64E:G6 :D E@ 65F42E6 DEF56?ED @? 9@H E@ CF? E96:C @H? C62= 3FD:?6DD6D[ 4@?4=F5:?8 E96 D6>6DE6C H:E9 3FD:?6DD A=2? AC6D6?E2E:@?D :? 7C@?E @7 2 A2?6= @7 :?G6DE@CD H:E9 E96 9@A6D @7 C646:G:?8 DE2CEFA 7F?5D]k^Am
kAm“x 925 2=C625J DE2CE65 >J 32<:?8 3FD:?6DD[ D@ 3J 5@:?8 E9:D AC@8C2> x 7:?2==J 8@E 6?@F89 AC@7:E E@ 36 23=6 E@ 86E E9:?8D 8@:?8 H:E9 3FD:?6DD 42C5D[ D:8?286[ 6E4][” D2:5 |25:D@? uF==6C[ @H?6C @7 |v q2<6D[ 2 =@H\42C3[ <6E@ 2?5 5:236E:4\7C:6?5=J 32<6CJ] “%96 766=:?8 @7 DF446DD H96? x H2=<65 :? 7C@?E @7 E96 ;F58:?8 A2?6= H2D 8C62E] x 6?565 FA 86EE:?8 H92E x H2?E65[ H9:49 :D C62==J E96 >@DE 244@>A=:D965 766=:?8]”k^Am
kAmuF==6C 3682? 32<:?8 H:E9 96C 8C2?5>@E96C H96? D96 H2D =:EE=6 3FE 3682? C6D62C49:?8 5:236E:4\7C:6?5=J EC62ED H96? 3@E9 @7 96C A2C6?ED H6C6 5:28?@D65 H:E9 5:236E6D]k^Am
kAm“tG6?EF2==J x’5 =:<6 E@ 92G6 2 DE@C67C@?E 2?5 4@?G6CE 324< :?E@ C68F=2C DH66ED 3FE DE:== @776C E96 5:236E:4 @?6D 2D H6==[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 6?EC6AC6?6FC 4=2DD 368:?D H:E9 23@FE ac DEF56?ED 2?5 7C@> pF8FDE E@ s646>36C[ DEF56?ED 564:56 :7 E96J H:== >@G6 7@CH2C5 E@ E96 D64@?5 D6>6DE6C] &DF2==J 23@FE `_ DEF56?ED 49@@D6 E@ A2CE:4:A2E6 :? E96 24256>J[ 2?5 |62492> D2:5 96 H2?ED E@ 42A E96 >2I:>F> 2E 23@FE `a]k^Am
kAm“}@E9:?8 :D 92?565 E@ J@F] (6 H:== 96=A @FE[ 3FE E96 DEF56?E 5@6D 2== E96 H@C<] %9@D6 6IA64E2E:@?D @7E6? H665 D@>6 A6@A=6 @FE] (6 H2?E A6@A=6 H9@ H:== C6AC6D6?E E96 AC@8C2> H6== 2?5 :?E6C7246 H:E9 E96 4@>>F?:EJ 2?5 =@42= 3FD:?6DD6D :? 2 AC@76DD:@?2= H2J[” D2:5 |62492>]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 E96 4=2DD[ DEF56?ED E2<6 7:6=5 EC:AD E@ =@42= 3FD:?6DD6D CF? 3J 6?EC6AC6?6FCD 2?5 2=D@ 2C6 AC6D6?E65 H:E9 8F6DE DA62<6CD H9@ 2C6 6IA6CED :? E96:C 7:6=5D[ DF49 2D 7:?2?46[ >2C<6E:?8 2?5 AF3=:4 DA62<:?8]k^Am
kAm“tG6CJ DEF56?E H9@ 4@>A=6E6D E96 AC@8C2>[ C682C5=6DD @7 H96C6 E96J’C6 962565 27E6C 9:89 D49@@=[ :D @? 2 8@@5 EC2;64E@CJ 3642FD6 @7 E9:D 6IA6C:6?46 2?5 92G:?8 C62==J 492==6?865 E96>D6=G6D[” D2:5 |62492>]k^Am
kAm~?46 DEF56?ED 92G6 2 AC6EEJ D@=:5 3FD:?6DD A=2? :? A=246[ E96J 2C6 A2:C65 H:E9 2 >6?E@C :? E96 4@>>F?:EJ E@ 96=A D@=:5:7J E96 56E2:=D 2?5 AC6A2C6 E96> 7@C E96 :?G6DE@C A2?6=[ H9:49 :D >256 FA @7 =@42= 3FD:?6DD =6256CD]k^Am
kAm“%96 >6?E@CD9:AD :?G@=G6 D@>6@?6 7C@> E96 3FD:?6DD 4@>>F?:EJ 8@:?8 :?E@ E96 9:89 D49@@= 7@C D:I E@ D6G6? H66<D 2?5 H@C<:?8 @?6\@?\@?6 H:E9 DEF56?ED] %96J 96=A 7:?6 EF?6 E96:C A=2?D 2?5 86E E96> AC6A2C65 E@ A:E49 E96:C :562D] %96D6 4@>>F?:EJ >6>36CD 2C6 8:G:?8 E96:C E:>6[ <?@H=6586[ 4@??64E:@?D[ 2?5 E92E’D C62==J H92E >2<6D E9:D AC@8C2> E:4<[” D2:5 |62492>]k^Am
kAmr2>6C@? %@=36CE[ 2 D@A9@>@C6 2E &?:G6CD:EJ @7 p=232>2[ 4@>A=6E65 E96 (:=542E t?EC6AC6?6FC p4256>J :? `_E9 8C256 27E6C sFCC C62==J 6?4@FC2865 9:> E@ >@G6 7@CH2C5 H:E9 :E] w6 2=D@ 4C65:ED 2 =@E @7 9:D DF446DD E@ 9:D >6?E@C z6G:? $A62<D[ 2DD:DE2?E G:46 AC6D:56?E 2E '2==6J q2?<]k^Am
kAm“x 5:5?’E 6G6? 92G6 2 3FD:?6DD :562 H96? x DE2CE65[ 3FE |CD] sFCC E@=5 >6 E@ 5@ :E 2?JH2J] x =@G65 E96 >6?E@CD9:Aj |C] z6G:? H2D 2 8C62E >6?E@C 2?5 96=A65 >6 7:?2=:K6 >J 3FD:?6DD A=2?] x H@? E96 D64@?5 >@DE 2>@F?E @7 >@?6J[” D2:5 %@=36CE]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 9:D @C:8:?2= AC@A@D2= @7 2 42C E:C6 82586E 76== E9C@F89[ |62492> =6E %@=36CE AC@A@D6 2 ?6H A=2? E@ E96 A2?6= E@ 7:?5 2 5:776C6?E H2J E@ FD6 E96 8C2?E65 7F?5D] w6 6?565 FA 4C62E:?8 %@=36CE’D t=:E6 |@3:=6 s6E2:=:?8[ H9:49 :D DE:== :? 3FD:?6DD E@52J]k^Am
kAm“xE’D AC6EEJ DF446DD7F=[ 2?5 ?@H x <?@H x H2?E E@ 36 >J @H? 3@DD] x AC@323=J H@F=5 92G6 ?6G6C 8@EE6? E@ H96C6 x 2> ?@H H:E9@FE ;@:?:?8 E96 (:=542E p4256>J – 2E =62DE ?@E E9:D 62C=J :? =:76[” D2:5 %@=36CE]k^Am
kAm$@>6 DEF56?ED 49@@D6 E@ 4@==23@C2E6 E96:C D<:==D 2?5 H@C< E@86E96C E@H2C5 2 3FD:?6DD A=2?] %J=6C (2EED 2?5 sC6H |@C82? 2C6 2 AC:>6 6I2>A=6 @7 E9:D A2CE?6CD9:A] (2EED’ D<:==D :? 4@?DECF4E:@? A2:C65 H:E9 |@C82?’D A6@A=6 D<:==D >256 {2<6 |2CE:? (@@54C27ED 2 DF446DD]k^Am
kAm“u@C >6[ E96 3:886DE 2DA64E H2D E96 3FD:?6DD 6IA6C:6?46 2?5 =62C?:?8 E@ H@C< H:E9 :?G6DE@CD 2?5 32?<6CD 2?5 244@F?E2?ED[” D2:5 (2EED] “x C62==J 8@E 2 766= 7@C H92E :E E2<6D E@ CF? 2 3FD:?6DD[ 2?5 :E’D 2 H9@=6 =@E >@C6 E92? x 6IA64E65] x7 J@F H2?E E@ @H? 2 3FD:?6DD @?6 52J[ x H@F=5 D2J 567:?:E6=J 8:G6 E9:D 4=2DD 2 D9@E]”k^Am
kAm(2EED 2?5 |@C82? ?@ =@?86C @A6C2E6 {2<6 |2CE:? (@@54C27ED[ H9:49 :D @?6 DECF88=6 >2?J 8C25F2E6D 7246 H96? 9625:?8 @77 E@ 4@==686] %96 C6D@FC46D ;FDE 2C6?’E 2G2:=23=6 :? 2 4@==686 D6EE:?8 E@ 42CCJ @FE 46CE2:? ;@3D]k^Am
kAm“}@ >2EE6C H92E 5:C64E:@? E96D6 DEF56?ED E2<6[ :7 J@F 4@>6 324< E@ E9:D 4@>>F?:EJ[ E96C6 2C6 A6@A=6 2?5 C6D@FC46D 96C6 E@ DFAA@CE J@F 2?5 96=A J@F 249:6G6 J@FC 8@2=D[” D2:5 r@==2C:]k^Am
kAm|62492> 25565 E92E E96 492>36C 2?5 >6?E@CD 4@?E:?F6 E@ DFAA@CE DEF56?ED 27E6C E96 AC@8C2> 92D 6?565[ 2?5 9:D 8@2= :D E92E 2E =62DE @?6 E@ E9C66 @7 E96> H:== DF44665 =@42==J]k^Am
kAm%96 E@E2= 2G2:=23=6 7F?5:?8 A@@= E@ 36 DA=:E C2?86D 7C@> Se[___ E@ Sh[___ 6249 J62C[ 2?5 E96 >:DD:@? @7 E96 :?G6DE@C A2?6= :D E@ 5:D3FCD6 E9@D6 7F?5D 244@C5:?8=J]k^Am
kAm“tG6CJ DEF56?E 92D 8@EE6? D@>6 7@C> @7 7F?5:?8 E9C@F89 E96 AC@8C2>] %96J C6BF6DE 2 46CE2:? 2>@F?E 7@C E96:C DE2CE\FA ?665D[ 2?5 E96 A2?6= 564:56D :7 E96J D9@F=5 36 2==@EE65 E92E 2>@F?E] tG6CJ@?6 86ED C6H2C565[ 3FE :E’D ?@E 2=H2JD E@ E96 6IE6?E E96J H2?E[” D2:5 |62492>] “%96 :562 2?5 4@>>:E>6?E 92D E@ H2CC2?E E92E 7F?5:?8]”k^Am
kAm%96 AC@8C2> =6256CD E96? H@C< H:E9 6249 DEF56?E 2D E96J 56E6C>:?6 E96 36DE H2J E@ 2==@42E6 E96 >@?6J] |62492> D2:5 E96 492>36C 42? 6:E96C AFC492D6 E9:?8D 5:C64E=J 7@C E96> @C E96J 42? 3C:?8 324< C646:AED 2?5 36 C6:>3FCD65] $EF56?ED 5@?’E ;FDE C646:G6 2 =F>A DF> @7 >@?6Jj E96J 2C6 25G:D65 @? 9@H E@ 36DE DA6?5 :E]k^Am
kAm“p7E6C E96 :?G6DE@C A2?6=[ E96 DEF56?ED 86E 7665324<[ E9@F89ED 2?5 25G:46 7C@> E96 :?5:G:5F2=D H9@ 5:5 E96 ;F58:?8[” D2:5 |62492>]k^Am
kAm%96 (tp :D :?E@ :ED 7:7E9 J62C 2?5 H2D @C:8:?2==J A2CE @7 E96 ?2E:@?2==J CF? *@F?8 t?EC6AC6?6FCD p4256>J] (96? E92E 4@?EC24E 6?565 27E6C E9C66 J62CD[ E96 492>36C C62=:K65 :E 4@F=5 DFAA@CE E96 AC@8C2> @? :ED @H?]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 2 D6C:@FD 4=2DD] *@F 92G6 E@ 8@ :? H:E9 E96 >:?5D6E @7[ ‘~< x ?665 E@ D:E 5@H? 2?5 C62==J A2J 2EE6?E:@? E@ H92E’D 8@:?8 @? 2?5 =62C? 7C@> :E]’ xE’D ?@E D@>6E9:?8 J@F D9@F=5 E2<6 7@C 8C2?E65[” D2:5 (2EED[ 2 D@A9@>@C6 2E pF3FC? &?:G6CD:EJ]k^Am
