WRITE PLACE.
WRITE PEOPLE.
WRITE TIME.
By Laurie Nawor, Preschool and Lower School Librarian
Writers Guild is one of my favorite days of the year
(second only to chicken wing day). We’ve had
tremendously talented authors and illustrators as our
distinguished guests to help celebrate our own budding
talent at TLS. The children have the opportunity to
listen to the visiting authors, who present how they
began their journeys. Despite their wildly different life
stories, it is clear to all that their journeys began with
creativity, gumption, do-overs, and erasures.
Later in the day, tables are turned, and it’s magical.
The kids are the rock stars and present their story to
their guests. At the end of a long day, my most favorite
part is when a child visits with the author, usually shyly
at first, for these are the people responsible for some
of their very favorite characters – Otis the tractor, Ivan
the gorilla, or the Princess in Black. It is not unusual to
see the (big) author and (little) author, heads together,
pouring over the Writers Guild book.
Okay, Writers Guild beats chicken wing day by a
landslide.
SURVIVING – AND
THRIVING – WITH SHARKS
The in-house version of Shark Tank, produced by The Lexington School eighth graders, was
exciting and action-packed. Polished pitches showcased unique product descriptions, detailed
business plans, and thorough market analyses. The students’ take on the reality show focused
on specific, behind-the-scenes work in preparation for presentation before the Shark-infested
panel of investors.
Encouraging entrepreneurship at an early age, Dana Adamson, Central Kentucky’s
Traditional Bank Senior Vice President for Marketing, contacted TLS after successfully piloting
the comprehensive curriculum at local high schools. Four bank representatives met with
members of the Class of 2019 a dozen times, explaining, “You will be creating a product and
a business proposal as if you were planning to pitch your idea to the entrepreneurs on the TV
show Shark Tank.”
Individually or in groups of up to three, students developed an executive summary
that included the owners’ and company name; the product name, slogan, and logo; the
Mission Statement; and a detailed plan of the product or service. They researched potential
manufacturing costs of the product, taking into special account office space, warehouse or
factory rental, utility costs, product costs, labor, and advertising. Their bank advisors cautioned,
“Be sure this is realistic. Research similar markets.”
TLS entrepreneurs wrangled with questions that led to more questions: For what amount
would you sell your product? Would people pay that price? How many buyers do you estimate?
What do you expect your profits to be? Who are your target consumers? In what region or state
do they live? What age and gender are they? What is their income level and social class? Who
is your competition, and why are you better than they are? What are your startup costs? Where
do you see your company in ten years, and in twenty? And the all-important, why should the
Sharks invest in your company?
Students determined the amount of financial investment they sought from the Sharks
as well as how much of the company ownership they would be willing to relinquish. They
designed creative ways to pitch the product, which culminated in confident explanations and
demonstrations on the theater stage with audio and video accompaniment.
With strong direction from Traditional Bank, The Lexington School eighth graders are well
prepared to swim with the sharks.
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