LOOGOOTEE—The traditional classroom model is being replaced by real-world business experience in Martin County, where the Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) Program is empowering local high school students to launch their own successful ventures. The program, which started in the fall of 2024, is offered to juniors and seniors from both Loogootee High School and Shoals High School.
The immersive curriculum has already produced impressive results, with students creating a range of enterprises and community projects.
Loogootee Junior Tees Up ‘The Birdie Box’
Among the program’s success stories is Loogootee High School junior Clayton Miller, who officially launched The Birdie Box, a mobile golf simulator rental service.
Miller developed the concept after recognizing a lack of indoor golf options in the local area. His solution is a fully mobile, high-tech indoor experience that customers can rent for any event or location.
- The Setup: Using funds secured through community donations, Miller purchased the essential equipment: a launch monitor, net enclosure, golf mat, and a software system that easily connects to a TV or iPad.
- The Service: The Birdie Box is available for rentals of two, four, and eight hours, with Miller personally handling delivery, setup, and takedown.
- Future Plans: Miller is already collaborating with local partners to host open-house events and hopes to expand into a permanent indoor facility in the future.
The CEO Program: A Real-World Classroom
The Martin County CEO program, in partnership with the national Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, is designed to instill an entrepreneurial mindset and build essential workforce skills, including problem-solving and communication.
Instead of meeting at school, students gather five days a week for 90-minute sessions at local business locations, such as the Martin County Fairgrounds, transforming the community itself into their classroom.
- Networking & Mentorship: Students are exposed to over 100 guest speakers, visit up to 75 local businesses, and are paired with a local business professional who acts as a mentor, guiding them through refining their business plan and securing start-up capital.
- Experience-Based Learning: The program requires students first to complete a class business as a team, managing all aspects from funding to marketing, before they launch their own individual companies. The ultimate goal is to encourage students to stay rooted in Martin County and become the next generation of local leaders.
The success of The Birdie Box is echoed across the class. The program’s First Annual CEO Trade Show featured 14 booths, showcasing a diverse range of student-led ventures:
Individual Businesses (Showcased at the Trade Show):
- Digital Services: Businesses focusing on web design and technical assistance.
- Photography: Start-ups offering both traditional photography and specialized drone photography services.
- Handcrafted Goods: Ventures in jewelry, cookies and granola, and unique products like fresh air scents.
Class & Community Projects:
The students also work on team-based projects that provide practical experience in execution and fundraising:
- Fundraising Event: The class successfully organized a pickleball tournament in Loogootee to raise funds for their future individual business ventures.
- Community Engagement: Students contributed to downtown Loogootee holiday events by crafting and selling s’mores kits.
- Initial Fundraiser: One of their very first assignments was successfully securing sponsorships from community partners for their program name badges.
The community can find more information about The Birdie Box, including rental options, on the business’s Facebook page.
