The Foreshadow Innovation Program: shaping the pathways of tomorrow

Career exploration must start early. Our flagship program, the Innovation Program, was created to intentionally introduce students to the core functions of entrepreneurship and business with a goal of understanding a fraction of career opportunities available to them post high school.

It is a 10- to 12-week youth program created to introduce students throughout the Twin Cities to entrepreneurship and business. Throughout the program, students will explore the core disciplines of starting a business, creating solutions, and working in teams to launch a real business. At the end of the program, the students have the opportunity to choose from a list of organizations they want to support. The proceeds from the product they create will be donated to the organization of their choice.

Students are guided throughout the program by Page Scholars, who are students of color pursuing post-secondary education in Minnesota that have received a Page Grant for their education. The Page Scholars are encouraged to practice leadership as they act as mentors for the students in the Innovation Program.

How it works

Step 1: 4^th and 5^th grade students are split into teams. Led by Page Scholars, they have the opportunity to learn about finance, research, operations, and marketing a real product. Each team is given a core business function on which they will focus.
Step 2: Students meet with their Page Scholars twice a week to practice business problem-solving and generate ideas for their core business function. Different groups will also meet to collaborate on specific goals. For example, the finance group and the marketing group will work together to set an advertising budget.
Step 3: At the end of the program, the students and their Page Scholars create a final presentation to demonstrate the product they’ve created and what they’ve learned.
Step 4: Foreshadow brings the business to life and launches the product on our website for a limited period of time. Proceeds from the sale of this product go to an organization of the students’ choice.

How you can help

Our student entrepreneurship and business nonprofit is led by Executive Director Rashelle Holmgren and Chad Dayton, who is the Executive Director of our partner, the TurnSignl Foundation. But the day-to-day operations wouldn’t be possible without the help of volunteers and donors like you.

If you’re ready to get involved, call our organization at 651-324-1865 or contact us online. You can also donate or learn how to become a corporate partner on our donors page.

If you feel like the Innovation Program would be a good fit for your classroom, please give us a call at the number above. We want to help kids throughout the Twin Cities metro feel capable, empowered, and set up to succeed.