Lokesh Pampatti, a recent graduate from Chapel Hill High School, introduces his group’s business. It's called JobHive, an app that would allow teens to search for opportunities and connect with potential employers. (Marlon Hyde/WABE News)
Georgia high school students are trying to create businesses that solve problems like food waste, complex medical billing and unsafe transportation for kids through a new program from Emory’s Goizueta Business School and 21st Century Leaders.
On an April afternoon, a large college classroom at Goizueta is packed with well-dressed high school students from across Georgia.
“Good morning, everyone,” greeted Lokesh Pampatti, a recent graduate from Chapel Hill High School, introducing his group’s business.
It’s graduation day, and each group is presenting their business ideas.
Lokesh Pampatti (center) receiving his certificate from the program’s director Kate Hewitt (right). (Marlon Hyde/WABE)
“We are the Alphanoodles, and today we’re here to present Jobhive, an app that lets teenagers get real jobs real fast,” said Pampatti.
JobHive would allow teens to search for opportunities and connect with potential employers. Kind of like LinkedIn, but just for teens.
“During this program, we made an app that really resonated with me and what my values were, which is helping people. And we helped teenagers with our app that we created,” said Pampatti.
He is one of the student ambassadors for 21st Century Leaders, a local nonprofit organization that trains Georgia high school students to find and maybe develop their business skills.
“As a high school student, being able to say that a prestigious, top-20 business school awarded you a leadership certificate is definitely nothing small.”
Delaria Ridley, recent MBA graduate from Goizueta Business School
They also receive a certificate upon graduation.
“First thing I’m going to do is make a post about it on LinkedIn,” said Pampatti.
Pampatti’s app didn’t win, a medical billing app project did, but it was still a great experience.
“Getting my certificate was amazing,” said Pampatti.
Graduating leaders receive a certificate from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.(Marlon Hyde/WABE)
Amazing, he says, because he was in the program’s first class. So was Tessa Hayes.
“We wanted to be able to allow students to do these extracurriculars and they get home safely without having to worry about … because we don’t have access to Uber in my town or anything like that,” said Hayes.
Hayes’ rideshare app is designed for students in low-income and rural parts of the state, like Jefferson County High School, where she’ll graduate next year.
“It’s about like two and a half hours away from Atlanta. It’s really… It’s a poor area and our schools are really underfunded,” said Hayes.
For her, the experience was more than just academic.
Tessa Hayes presenting a rideshare app with her group. (Marlon Hyde/WABE)
“Especially for me, as someone who’s more on the introvert side, kind of shy, it really pushes you out of your shell,” said Hayes.
“Tessa is so special,” said Delaria Ridley, Hayes’ mentor in the program and a recent MBA graduate from Goizueta Business School.
“She knows how to really lead a team. So I’ve seen her step up in ways as far as redirecting the team, making sure the team is on schedule,” said Ridley.
Over the one-year program, the high school students build their business pitches in groups with mentors every month.
“As a high school student, being able to say that a prestigious, top-20 business school awarded you a leadership certificate is definitely nothing small,” said Ridley.
Tessa Hayes (center) receiving her certificate from Kate Hewitt (right). (Marlon Hyde/WABE News)
“I think this program will only continue to grow,” said Kate Hewitt, the program’s executive director.
“We all understand that, education in the future will look differently for a lot of people, and so offering some type of credentialing certificates that help open more doors for our students are really important to us,” said Hewitt.
Hewitt says 21st Century Leaders and Goizueta plan to expand the program and hope to set a standard.
“That’s going to be really looked at, I think, across not only the state but we hope across the country of ways to support our students in innovative ways,” said Hewitt.
