Week One: INSPIRE

 

Overview

The first meeting will set the tone for the rest of the program. Keep the energy high as you introduce the program and ensure that everyone is aware of what lies ahead. Students will be introduced to the concept of “ideation” as they begin to brainstorm product and service ideas. This session will allow students to get to know each other further and establish expectations about the program.


Objectives

  • Establish expectations and excite students about the program learning opportunity.
  • Consider a variety of possible products, services, and business models.  

 

Teacher Preparation

  • Ensure your location has access to computer/laptop, projector (or screen) and speakers.
  • Review detailed instructions, videos, and materials in advance to become familiar with materials/activities.
  • Review the Week 1 Slideshow before class. 


Agenda

  1. Introduce Pitch your Vision (10 min)
  2. Establish the Team(s) (15 min)
  3. Ice-breakers/ Team builders (30 min)
  4. Product Inspiration and Success Stories (10 minutes)  
  5. Brainstorming Activity (40 min)  
  6. Questions and wrap-up (10 min)

 

Activities

1. Introduce Pitch your Vision (10 min)

Introduce the Pitch your Vision program by using the description on the Week 1 slides and/or the Pitch your Vision guide. A reminder that students will submit their business plans to JA at the end of the program and the top 6 finalist teams will get the opportunity to present their idea during the final Pitch Competition. Use these optional questions to generate some conversation 

o How many of you have thought about being entrepreneurs?

o Who inspires you to succeed?

o As a group, how do you think you will define success?

 

Provide expectations. Students are expected to:

o Participate actively

o Contribute to the best of their ability

o Take it seriously

o Act responsibility

o Have fun

o Be creative

OPTIONAL: UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduce the UN Sustainability Goals (SDGs) to students.

Keeping the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in mind, countries all over the world are taking accelerated actions to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Businesses and entrepreneurs also have an important responsibility in creating sustainable solutions that meet their country's development challenges. ​

During this learning experience students have the option to address one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals through their innovative business idea (this is not mandatory). 

If time allows, encourage students to learn more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals by visiting their website - 

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

Project the Week 1 Slideshow and go through the slides as you go through each activity. 

2. Establish the Team(s) (15 min)

Determine the number of teams that will work best for the size and composition of your class. You could choose to have students work with a partner, in small groups of 2-5. 

Smaller groups of 2-5 students generally give students the best opportunity to both contribute to the program and learn from perspectives of others.

 

2. Ice-breakers and Team Builders (30 min)

• In the first meeting, refer to the Team Builders and Ice Breakers below and select an activity to use.

 

A Truth and A Lie (20 minutes)

Have each member introduce themselves by stating their name plus one truth about themselves and one lie. After each person makes their statements, allow for a quick open conversation where everyone questions each other on their two statements. The idea is to convince the other members that your lie is actually a truth, while guessing the truths or lies of the others.

After the questioning period, vote as a group on each member’s statements. Points are awarded for each lie guessed right or for stumping other members on your own lie. This exercise helps to get to know your coworkers better and encourages group interaction and communication.

Optional: Increase the difficulty by having 2 truths and 1 lie, or 2 lies and 1 truth. Remove the open conversation segment if time is constrained.

 

Categories (15-30 minutes)

This activity works best when the group is divided into teams of about 5 people each and they are not with people they already know well. Instruct each team to talk amongst themselves and find out at least 6 things they have in common with each other. You may consider not allowing teams to use simple things like physical height, hair color, clothing worn, etc. Limiting the similarities to non-physical things helps people learn more about each other and engage in active, more meaningful conversation. The game is played as a race and each team is competing to come up with their 6 similarities before the others. The game ends once each team has come up the 6 things they have in common.

You can repeat this activity with different people in the groups or make different group sizes.

 

"Have you ever?" (15-30 minutes)

This game follows similar principles as musical chairs. The person in the middle who is it begins with the question: "Have you ever: _____?" The blank is to be filled in with something that holds true for the person who is it. Examples are: "traveled abroad"; "been to rock concert"; "seen the ocean". Everyone who the statement holds true for, must exchange places with another person. The person who is it must move to a spot as well. One person will not be able to find a spot. They are then "it" and are the next person to state a "Have you ever?". Repeat game as much as desired. This is a good way to introduce people to each other in a way that shows their experiences in the past.

 

Data Processing (15-20 minutes)

Divide the group into smaller groups. Then have each group process each of the following data by having them either line up according to the order or to make a list of the people in the correct order. You can play as many rounds as you like. Each data that is processed consists of one round. You can also come up with your own data.

Examples:

  • Alphabetical by best friend's first name
  • Alphabetical according to favorite food
  • Length of hair
  • Shoe size
  • Birthdays
  • Numbers in last name
  • Length of thumb

This can be a good game to introduce everyone to interesting things about all participating.

 

 

3. Product Inspiration & Success Story Slides (10 min)

  • Use the Week 1 Slideshow deck to display and discuss former student products developed in JA Company Program. In these examples, students needed to produce a product and make money. Tell the students that in this program, they will only be brainstorming, and researching a product idea, and will not have to produce and sell their idea.

a. Sacky- Sacky is a JA Ecuador company that created sustainable lunch bags made from recycled plastic bottles. The bags feature Ecuadorian animals and illustrations that promote healthy eating habits and environmental awareness. They won the 2026 JA Worldwide Company of the Year Award based on their innovative and sustainable idea. 

b. Top Shelf - Top Shelf created children’s books. Their mission aimed to foster a brighter future through literacy, storytelling and illustration, transitioning children from less screen time to more reading. 

c. PlayMotion- PlayMotion creates playground equipment that converts movement into renewable electricity. As children play, internal gears and generators produce energy that powers communities’ essential needs, stored in a built-in rechargeable battery system at the base of each playground structure. 

d. WildQuest Games - JA Central Ontario company WildQuest Games designed educational card games. The company created products that encourage real-world learning and social interaction, helping people put down their phones and make unforgettable memories.

e. Moana Tae - Moana Tae is a JA Central Ontario company that aimed to create awareness on how climate change is destroying coral reefs and effecting underwater animals. Inspired by this, the Moana Tae team handcrafted bracelets to gather funds to help save our colourful oceans. A percentage of their revenue was donated to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. 

f. Plastato - students from this Jamaican JA Company figured out the chemistry it took to turn potatoes into plastic and then used that plastic to create jewelry.

  • Success Story slides:

a. Mark Cuban- Owner of the Dallas Mavericks

b. Donna Shalala- Former President of the University of Miami and Former Secretary of Health during Bill Clinton presidency. 

c. Bruce Poon Tip- Founder of G Adventures

d. Nicholas Kee- JA Jamaica Alumni (founding member of Plastato) now pursuing 3 different ventures with partnerships made across the Americas.

4. Brainstorming (40 min)

  • This is now the time for students to start brainstorming. The key thing is to ensure everyone defers judgement of ideas while in the process.
  • Play the Where Good Ideas Come From video 
  • This is also a good idea to share resources the students may have access to at their school for developing product or service prototypes. 
  • There are many approaches that this process can take. If students are struggling to brainstorm an idea, to help narrow it down, they can create a product or service that helps to support one (or more) of the UN sustainable development goals. 
  • Complete the Brainstorm Activity

 

Brainstorm Activity

 

Brainstorming is an effective way to generate lots of ideas. When brainstorming as a group it is easy to censor wild and crazy idea. Resist doing this. To be most effective be sure to:

  • Defer judgement of ideas 
  • Go for quantity over quality 
  • Build on the ideas of others 
  • Don't hold back 
  • Move quickly to the next idea 
  • Record everything 

Ask students to think about filling a customer need.  Identify a customer need that could use a solution. Write it in the centre of a large paper. Attempt to answer the question “How might we solve this need?”  Write answers on sticky notes. If you use a whiteboard, make sure to capture students' answers. 

 

“The best ideas for companies often stem from attempting to solve personal problems or irritations. If we tried to think of a good idea, we wouldn’t have been able to think of any ideas at all.  - Brian Chesky, Founder AirBnB

 

Conduct the following 3 rounds of brainstorming with a short break in between each round.

• Individual (10 min): Working individually, record as many ideas as possible.

• Pairs (10 min): Working with a partner, share ideas by taking turns. One person shares while the other person records.

• Group (10min): Everyone shares their ideas in a lively, fast-paced group discussion. Remember not to judge ideas.

 

Need help overcoming challenges?

Ideas don’t seem big enough. Don’t limit yourself to what is real and possible. Small ideas don’t often have the ability to become big ideas without considering the seemingly impossible.

Snickering at ideas.  There are no bad ideas. Introduce the phrase “Yes, and….”  to encourage students to build on ideas that have been presented before.

You get stuck. Prompts often help to create breakthroughs.  Consider asking the following prompting questions:

  • What if you were in space?
  • What if money was no object?
  • How would you deal with this if you were in a different time period?
  • What would you do if you were someone else?
  • How would you think about the problem if you were a different gender?
  • How would you think about the problem if you were 10 years younger?

 

5. Questions and Wrap-Up (10 min)

  • You may choose to assign, or students may choose to complete the What's Your Leadership Style quiz and review the
    seminar (optional). 
  • Create an opening for students to ask any questions about the meeting prior to wrapping up.
  • Let students know that next week you will continue brainstorming and research.
  • Remind students that entrepreneurs can start businesses on their own or as part of a small group by combining individual strengths and sharing responsibilities. Today is the start of something great!

 

Next Steps  

  • Address any questions, concerns or feedback to your Program Manager
  • Review the material for Week 2!

Modifié le: vendredi 17 juillet 2026, 11:55