The Path Before EntrepreNew

Before joining EntrepreNew, Justice had a typical high school experience with its fair share of challenges. Like many teenagers, he enjoyed the social aspect of school but didn’t find the regular classroom environment all that inspiring. His grades were okay but didn’t truly reflect his full potential. The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the social interactions he cherished, making high school even more challenging.

He liked language arts and creative writing, and enjoyed history, too; however, the hard sciences and math classes were not things he enjoyed. Moreover, he knew the traditional route of college wasn’t going to get him where he wanted to go, but he struggled when it came to voicing and supporting his dreams and ambitions.

“He knew that school wasn’t the right fit for him, but he didn’t know what was.”

Discovering the EntrepreNew Opportunity

Things changed for Justice when he had the opportunity to explore different career programs, including EntrepreNew Pathways. Attending visitation days that showcased the many programs open to him through the Six District Educational Compact gave him insight into various paths, but it was the EntrepreNew program that captured his attention. In this class, he saw the potential to turn his dreams of owning a barbershop or developing his own clothing line into reality.

The Transformation Within EntrepreNew

Justice’s time in the EntrepreNew program was truly life-changing. He welcomed the challenges it offered and quickly formed new friendships, breaking out of his comfort zone. The program’s structure, which included hands-on experiences and meetings with industry experts, clicked with him in ways traditional high school classes hadn’t.

He had always found it tough to express his hopes and dreams, often relying on others to convey his thoughts. However, EntrepreNew challenged him to speak up, voice his opinions, and advocate for himself.

It elevated his engagement in school, too. Justice achieved straight A’s during his junior year in the EntrepreNew program. This academic success came with a newfound sense of responsibility and ownership of his goals, too. He began to see himself not only as a student but also as a young adult with dreams and ambitions that were attainable, and he began to share those ambitions. This growth in self-confidence was a remarkable change for Justice.

“Finally, for the first time, he sat us down and told us, ‘Here’s where I see my future going, here are the goals that I have.’

 

“He would have never explained those so clearly before his experience in EntrepreNew, and I feel like because he was able to do that, we were able to really listen to him. It didn’t feel like a teenager who was wavering… It felt like a choice he was making from an empowered place.”

The Power of Seeing the Possibilities

For Justice, EntrepreNew gave a name and a face to his entrepreneurial ambitions. It provided him with the confidence to express his wishes and the determination to take the necessary steps to achieve his goals.

“They ask you in first grade, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And for his whole life, he didn’t ever really know the answer because nothing seemed to fit. So when he found this program, something just clicked. All of a sudden, it wasn’t him alone on an island having these dreams of clothing lines and barbershops. Suddenly he could see those things could be a career, things he did for the rest of his life. It gave him a lifeline.”