Boston high school students put their business ideas to the test with entrepreneurship program

BOSTON — High school students in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood are learning the ropes of starting a new business.

“Lots of stuff that may help you through your day,” said Ethan Jeudin who is a freshman.

Together this group created a box that is a self-help kit.

“I wanted self-help and self-care to be more accessible,” said Tahannah Jordan, a freshman who also came up with the idea of the business called Spirit Box.

“I have friends who struggle with their mental health and it really makes me sad to see that they feel like they couldn’t help themselves,” said Jordan.

The teens are part of a program called ‘BUILD Boston.’

“We’re an entrepreneurship education program for high school students,” said Betsy Neptune who is Build Boston’s Regional Executive Director.

Inside the spirit box are self-nurturing items including a squishy bun for nervous tension and a notebook.

“Writing down your feelings is the best form of therapy,” said Jordan.

There’s also a smooth ink pen and of course a candle.

“I just think they smell good and they make the box smell good,” said Jordan.

This all came about while the students were not in the classroom during the Covid epidemic and the time of remote learning. And that’s when this idea of self-help and nurturing was born.

Each student has a management role. Jordan is the CEO. Jafet Rodriguez is the Chief Marketing Officer.

“I handle the ads. Getting our business out there,” said Rodriguez.

Ethan Jeudin is the Chief Operating Officer. “We all work well together and we know each other,” said Jeudin.

And Iandel Ramos is the Chief Financial Officer. He says Build Boston helped build him up.

“I think it helped me a lot trying to speak out and like present,” said Ramos.

The students are amazing but teachers like Chris Mee, who coached this group and spent countless hours encouraging them, are the reason Build has successfully graduated hundreds of students so far.

“Really our students are exceptional but our teachers help to see that they are exceptional and bring that out,” said Neptune.

These four students are in the finals of a city-wide entrepreneurship contest similar to the popular tv show Shark Tank. Two other groups will meet to convince judges on Wednesday night in Boston, including former Patriot Devon McCourty, that their idea is best.

The event will be emceed by Boston 25 News Anchor Vanessa Welch. The contest has one winner but this group knows what they’ve learned from Build Boston will help them all come out on top.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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