Last week I met with Adam Park, COO of Beyond 12.
No less than 6 lessons learned from my very enjoyable meeting with Adam:
- Most high school alumni are interested in their alma mater in spurts (reunions, football games, etc). This should be understood when developing tools for kickstart fundraising campaigns and mentoring programs for alumni networks.
- Read Art of the Start to improve how you pitch.
- Early-stage market sizing is part art, part science. Probably more art.
- Don’t force alumni to search for what they are looking for. Give it to them.
- “Imagine ______ for ______” is a quick, powerful pitch for your startup.
- Don’t over-analyze what you do. Out of early progress, a framework and direction will appear.
Response from a director at the Council for Aid to Education (CAE) when asked if information on average alumni giving rates for public high schools is documented and available, or otherwise known.
Dean Kamen makes a strong point in this interview that America suffers from a culture problem rather than an educational problem. He argues that our culture elevates sports and entertainment stars as universal role models, rather than scientists and innovators who can inspire kids to strive toward careers that benefit themselves and the economy.
Kamen goes on to talk about his FIRST robotics competition that engages 90,000+ high schoolers per year in building and competing robots. The competition structure features industry mentors that work with the students on their robotic projects. In his list of FIRST’s benefits, I’m glad he highlights the strong connections that the students are making with their mentors. Of course, students are also strengthening their connections with each other, bonding over a gratifying experience that leave them feeling intelligent and capable.
All students should have access to project-based educational experiences like FIRST, including access to first-class mentors who represent in-demand careers in science and technology. We should definitely be cultivating a culture of connecting our kids to big ideas and role models outside of sports and entertainment.
