CLEARWATER, Fla. — Tampa Bay businesses are teaming up with local high schools to help students create their own businesses. It’s a partnership that’s making entrepreneurship a real option following graduation.
From manufacturing to marketing, to flavoring, this month, Dunedin High School students were learning every aspect of business at Monin in Clearwater, including taste testing their flavor of the year, Toasted Coconut.
Monin is responsible for more than 200 syrups, sauces and more, delivered to restaurants across the world, from fast food to fine dining, and it all began with an entrepreneurial dream.
“I didn’t realize they worked with some of the biggest fast-food companies, like I didn’t really recognize them, but you know, looking back at it now, I have probably tasted a lot of their products,” said student Samantha Inglis.
Inglis is among the participants in the Dunedin High School Junior Achievement 3DE Entrepreneurship Program.
“It’s really cool to come out and meet all these people and network with all these people and just get a look at the flavors and see what people do,” said Inglis.
Beverage Innovation Director, Julia Melucci, says it’s a full circle moment for her. She participated in Junior Achievement when she was in high school.
She says from a distance it seems like a field trip, but it’s so much more, because the students will take what they learned back into the classroom and try to create their own businesses.
“It taught me a lot about business and helped shape the trajectory of my career whether I realized it at the time or not,” said Melucci.
“It definitely helps a lot to see different business industries and how they operate,” said Inglis.
Later this year, Monin staff will go on campus to help these students develop their own business ideas.
“To see someone who started a company like this many, many years ago and to see what it’s grown into and getting to tour their factories and their processes, it gives them an expectation of what is so small in their brains, now what it could be one day,” said 3DE instructor Davis Kippen.
Kippen says it's important students know all their options when it comes to their future.
“Sometimes college is not for them, but entrepreneurship is, and we’ve had some very successful kids come through that are still continuing in their businesses today well past graduation,” said Kippen.
Students say it’s nice to know there are businesses right here in their own community willing to lend their expertise and experience to the next generation.
“I think this is amazing, I think it’s a great opportunity for companies to join in the 3DE program and bring students here and see what life is like outside of school and careers you can go into in the future,” said student Suren Cocco.
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