From the Classroom to the Prototyping Lab: The Village School’s Entrepreneurship Students Visit the Ion

As The Village School’s Entrepreneurship Diploma students walked through the doors of the Ion, a rush of adrenaline hit them. The scent of freshly brewed coffee traveled through the air, while the bustling crowd of business owners, CEOs, and inventors signed in and conversed with their fellow entrepreneurs. Amid all the action were 47 eager junior and senior students, ready to immerse themselves in the entrepreneurial hub of the greater Houston area.

The Entrepreneurship Diploma started in 2019, has been a highlight of the educational experience for high school students at The Village School. The diploma program entails annual pitch competitions, launching start-ups, workshops with experts, and more.

Students of The Village School and fellow entrepreneurs watching the discussion between Reggie DesRoches and Walter Isaacson. (Photo: Patricia Elliston) 

On September 13, 2024, the Entrepreneurship Diploma students had the opportunity to take an eye-opening trip to the Ion, a technology park and innovation district established as a joint venture between Rice University and the City of Houston located in Midtown. The day started off with students anticipatingly waiting in line for the signing of author Walter Isaacson’s acclaimed biographies on visionaries Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. After the signing, students took their seats on the forum stairs for a riveting discussion between the Rice University President Reginald DesRoches and Walter Isaacson on their insights of well-known entrepreneurs. Students then participated in “A Cup of Joey”, a local networking event held every Friday by Joey Sanchez, Senior Director of Ecosystems at the Ion. During “A Cup of Joey”, students were able to meet with all types of people in the entrepreneurial world from Houston and connect through common issues, or shared experiences. 

“The Cup of Joey event was definitely my favorite part of the day; it was a valuable experience for all of us. It gave me an opportunity to network and connect with so many successful people and entrepreneurs and it was a great inspiration,” stated Mark Tripulskyi, a junior Entrepreneurship Diploma student.

Students of The Village School and fellow entrepreneurs watching the discussion between Reginald DesRoches and Walter Isaacson. (Photo: Patricia Elliston).

Later that day, 6 groups of junior students pitched their start-up ideas to 7 judges at the Ion. The judges ranged from startup owners to product designers. The pitches were a truly immersive experience and each student, whether they pitched or not, gained valuable wisdom from the judges and other spectators. 

Patricia Elliston, head of the Entrepreneurship department at The Village School and co-coordinator of this event, explained, “A crucial part of the trip was to see how the students were being taken seriously throughout the pitches and networking events. They were treated like peers and out of that visit, we have had a number of people express how impressed they were of our students which has now opened the way for many other opportunities in the future.” 

As of right now, future trips and opportunities for students are in the works with the department and The Village School students are excited to continue their entrepreneurial journey!