mastertek - My Blog

- What types of funding are available for your project?
1. Fundraising events among students, teachers, parents, businessmen.
2. Donations
3. Contributions from businesses who agree to become partner
4. Earned Income from 2nd round when students have accumulated experience and a portfolio
5. In-kind Donations for stationery, computers, boards, chairs, tables from schools, businesses, and students.
6. Grants from international programs

- How much time does it require to invest in completing the funder requirements?
1. 1-2 month(s) is needed for thorough research about funders and possibility of completing their requirements.

- Does your project match the funder’s interests and priorities?
1. Schools, students, and parents will believe in the values that we promise and support us.
2. Businesses would expect to see an increase in their performance to decide if they should continue to support after our 1st round.

Project review:
Purpose: Introduction of business-project-based learning on environmental-friendly products and sustainable practices to high school students.
Mission: Creation of the next generation of environmental conscious students and entrepreneurs in 8 years.
Vision: Establishment of a chain of mini think-tank for students to work on proposals and concepts to benefit emerging entrepreneurs and the market as a whole.

Values:
=To students: increased environmental consciousness, business knowledge, on the job experience, high education vision, career vision, communication and presentation experience.
=To mentors: challenge themselves in a shift of focus to environmental aspects, contribute to the understanding of the youth generation.
=To companies: improve their performance for less environmental impact, make good image for PR activities, receive fresh ideas from various viewpoints, contribute to the understanding of the youth generation.

Introduction of project based learning to high school students - Risks and Challenges:

1-Compatibility: students, Schools, or Companies may reject the project due to conflict in lifestyle, perspective, etc.
-Action: conducting survey, interview, discussion meeting, etc.

2-Place: negotiating for a place may not be successful because all blocks nearby the bas high school are occupied by small businesses.
-Action: gain affection from the schools and students to back the negotiation

3-Finance: it's highly possible that we run out of cash before the fruit students' projects right after training.
-Action: Looking for sponsors is not always an option. I am preparing speeches to call for donation/voluntary payment from participating students themselves.

My project's mandate is reproduced as follows:
Purpose: Introduction of business-project-based learning on environmental-friendly products and sustainable practices to high school students.
Mission: Creation of the next generation of environmental conscious students and entrepreneurs in 8 years.
Vision: Establishment of a chain of mini think-tank for students to work on proposals and concepts to benefit emerging entrepreneurs and the market as a whole.

I want to target only high school students, not middle schoolers or university students. By emphasizing the importance of high school as the turning point to decide which field of study to opt in after graduation, I will attract as many high school students as possible.
It may turn out few high school students will support or few of them are skilled enough even after training to produce quality contributions to business sector. If that's to happen, I will have to allow a bigger portion for university students.

The past year saw a lot of student conferences Education Without Border (EWB), YES2009, St. Gallen Symposium, One Young World, 1st World Youth Summit, etc. I was lucky to get involved in one or more stages of these events and have read a good deal of papers selected for presentation there. To my surprise, I found very few unique idea or unconventional approach among even winning papers written by students from top-class institutions. Many synthetic research papers collect data and opinions from various sources without implying any concrete solution. Cliché and quote are used excessively to fill up the bibliography section. Participants often stray from purpose of coming to learn and experience. E.g. students to EWB in Dubai only boasted about watching fabulous performances. At this rate, more and more money is wasted to sponsorship for nothing. Therefore, I want to offer students low-cost opportunities to gain experience, learn knowledge and ability to identify cliché. I hope to create a learning community that can produce cliché-free contributions to the business sector.