In May, young entrepreneurs from across the OCDSB put their brightest ideas on display at the National Arts Centre for Untapped 2024. This annual conference, hosted in partnership with Youth Ottawa, welcomed hundreds of grade 8-12 OCDSB students, along with students from the Ottawa Catholic School Board. This year’s array of businesses and social enterprises ranged from eco-friendly products, to 3D-printed jewelry, to wellness baskets, to creative subscription boxes.
Students created these companies as part of the Entrepreneurship Pilot Project. The three-year project launched last year, funded by the Ministry of Education and delivered by the OCDSB’s Program and Learning Innovation department and led by Meagan Malboeuf.
Twenty schools joined in the project this year. Students pitched their ideas and received seed funding to create their companies. They worked individually or in groups to explore all aspects of running a business – networking, sales, budget management, marketing, and more. When they earned a profit, a portion was invested in their school and another portion donated to the charity of their choice.
Check out this video compilation of pitches from many of the schools involved:
After months of working hard to bring their projects to life, students were thrilled to show off their innovation at Untapped. This showcase was open to the community, inviting the public to learn about each project and purchase products to support the small businesses.
Here’s a closer look at a few of the companies created through this year’s Entrepreneurship Pilot Project. Many of these projects were presented at Untapped or other events across the city.
Beyond Borden
Joshua W. and Mason L. from Sir Robert Borden High School launched a social enterprise designed to help people discover tasty treats from around the world. Each week, the Beyond Borden snack subscription program curates an array of authentic snacks from a different country, along with a QR code that shares facts about that country. The students began by conducting market research in the school and felt inspired to create the business to boost the variety of snacks available at their school while educating their peers about different cultures. The profits from the subscriptions support the Ottawa Food Bank. Listen to their interview with CBC Ottawa Morning.
Bags and Pyjamas by Muhammet
Muhammet A., a grade 10 student from Gloucester High School, launched a textile business. In 2015, Muhammet moved from Syria to Türkiye, where he worked with his uncle, sewing pyjamas. After the devastating earthquake hit their city, Muhammet and his family came to Canada. His sewing skills and expertise with using a serger machine led him to launch a business hand-making reusable shopping bags and PJs, which have garnered great feedback from his school community. Muhammet shared his story on CBC Ottawa Morning.
Fisher for the Future
Students at Fisher Park Public School/Summit Alternative launched Fisher for the Future to support their local community in learning about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They selected two goals to focus on – Climate Action and Zero Hunger – and partnered with local charities supporting these goals: The Ottawa Carleton Wildlife Centre and the Parkdale Food Center. The students produced beeswax wraps, seed paper notebooks, and plant starter kits to sell to their community. These products allowed them to teach their peers about the Sustainable Development Goals and offer useful, eco-friendly options for daily products, all while raising funds for the partner charities. Their project won the 2024 Ciena Solutions Challenge Sustainability Award for Canada, and received an Honourable Mention in the Learning for a Sustainable Future Action Project Award. Read more about Fisher for the Future!
Lil Johnny Watermelon Smash
A team of students from Osgoode Township High School’s Game Design and Virtual Production Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program presented their latest computer game creation – “Lil Johnny Watermelon Smash.” Designed in Unreal Engine, this game follows Lil Johnny as he fights a formidable dragon, offering a challenging and immersive 19-level adventure. In addition to presenting their game at Untapped, the students also set up gaming stations at the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) game in April, where the game proved to be a big hit among hockey fans. The game will be released on the online platform Steam. Check out the trailer!
BeeCreative
At Ottawa Carleton Virtual Secondary School, students in Ms. Taylor’s grade 11 Entrepreneurship class launched BeeCreative, a student-run virtual business dedicated to raising awareness and funds for bee conservation. Collaborating in their virtual classroom, the students successfully launched a Shopify store selling bee-themed phone cases and keychains, and crocheted bee plushies. They leveraged their technology skills and creativity to design, produce, and market their products. The students showed resilience and problem-solving as they collaborated to overcome the many obstacles unique to running a business from within a virtual class.
Notably, they became the first class in the OCDSB to use sublimation printing, introducing this innovative technology to the District. The students received mentorship and support from Junior Achievement (JA) Canada and had the opportunity to showcase their products at the Ottawa Network for Education’s Spark Soirée. Their business acumen was recognized with five prestigious Junior Achievement Awards, including Achiever of the Year Award, President of the Year Award, VP Finance Award, Innovation Award, and Most Improved Company Award. Additionally, members of the project team were nominated for the Salesperson of the Year Award, further highlighting their exceptional achievements.