November 30, 2010
MIHS students win top honors in the National DECA Innovations and Entrepreneurship competition
During the weekend of November 20 and 21, 2010 students from Mercer Island High School competed in the National DECA Innovations and Entrepreneurship Conference competition during Global Entrepreneurship Week. This conference brought students from all over the country to San Diego, CA to compete for a national title by creating products and pitching their ideas to Venture Capitalists.
Amongst 30-odd teams consisting of three or four people, two of Mercer Island’s teams: Charlotte Witter, Mattie Friedman, and Lauren Frank, and the other team: Conner Perryman, Rachael Sims, Erin McKiernan, and Jenny Jones took two of the top three spots.
The team of Charlotte Witter, Mattie Friedman, and Lauren Frank won the competition. These two teams currently run two student-run companies: Mercer Trade Inc. (which trades products with schools in Ghana and Shanghai to empower Kenyan communities through clean water, education and microfinance), and its subsidiary, Dnalsi Inc. (which markets and sells products to the local community in efforts to assist Mercer Trade Inc.).
The International Entrepreneurship course at MIHS, under the direction of teacher Carol Wiseley and Mark Roschy, Associate Principal and CTE Director, is in its first year of implementation with seven students from MIHS and six from off island. The program offers a year-long course of study for students seeking to understand and acquire the skills to become entrepreneurs in the global economy.
Mercer Island High School is uniquely positioned to offer this program to Washington Network for Innovative Careers (WA-NIC) member schools, as well as other interested students from neighboring communities in Central and South Seattle. The City of Mercer Island is home to some of the region’s most successful entrepreneurs in all areas of business and industry; many of these individuals have already stepped forward to offer mentorship and assistance to students.
Superintendent Gary Plano noted, “The program was created within the context of Mercer Island School District’s 2020 Vision and the State of Washington’s participation in Promoting Innovations to 21st Century Careers.” This landmark legislation is intended to help state and regional leaders increase graduation rates and prepare America’s next generation of highly skilled workers. Mercer Island’s program is the only one of its kind in the state.
According to Mark Roschy, “We are only one year into the International Entrepreneurship course and our students are already achieving the highest honors at the national level. I think we have a winner!”
FOR MORE INFORMATION: CONTACT CAROL WISELY, 230-6344
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