On December 4, 2025, students from Hanover Central High School had the opportunity to take their entrepreneurship learning beyond the walls of Mrs. Kris Fleming’s classroom. They traveled to Valparaiso University to participate in the Business Model Canvas Training program through the university’s Innovation Hub. This field trip included students enrolled in Mrs. Fleming’s Entrepreneurship Career & Technical Education (CTE) pathway, specifically those taking the second-level course New Venture Development and the third-level course Entrepreneurial Operations. “The trip to VU was very informative, and it was nice to hear from another entrepreneur who has shown great success,” said Jimmy Albrecht.

The training was hosted by Dushan Nikolvski, Director of the Innovation Hub and a professor at Valparaiso University. Students from multiple schools were in attendance, allowing Hanover students to collaborate and network with peers who also share an interest in entrepreneurship. During the workshop, students reviewed the Business Model Canvas, a strategic template that outlines the essential components of a successful business. This is not anything new for these students; however, the session served as a valuable refresher of the key concepts that are regularly studied in Mrs. Fleming’s classes. 

Shawn Burdan said the workshop helped clarify how different parts of the Business Model Canvas work together. “Your value proposition should be a clear statement of what value your product or business offers to others. Each value proposition should be directly related to one of your customer segments. If you can match a value proposition with a customer segment, it produces a solid starting foundation for your product or business.”

Nikolvski presented the story of the XEROX machine, invented by Chester Floyd Carlson. He initially faced rejection, as the machine itself was too expensive for the average consumer. After 23 years, Carlson reimagined the XEROX machine by leasing the machines out, which allowed for repairs, refills, and maintenance to be included in the leasing process, leading to a successful business. The group also discussed non-traditional business models, like Facebook, which is free for consumers yet still makes profits. Examples like these allowed the students to understand that successful business models can look very different depending on the product, service, and target audience. “One thing I learned is that you don’t necessarily have to invent something new to create a business. Instead, you just need to offer something unique,” said Khaleed Adetunji.

All of the students broke into groups alongside students from others schools to collaborate on specific sections of the Business Model Canvas. Using Netflix as their example, groups analyzed the company’s value propositions and customer relationships. Nikolvoski visited each table and had them share their ideas with the whole group. At the end of the workshop, each student was presented with a certificate of completion, recognizing their participation in the training. “It was very cool to interact with other schools and learn more about what they do in their entrepreneurship class,” said Emma Eckart.

Several students were able to connect the workshop content directly to their own entrepreneurial ideas, many of which will later be pitched to the StartED Up Foundation through Innovate WithIN. Jimmy Albrecht shared that he is currently starting JT Marketing, “a digital marketing agency that specializes in social media management, online ad distribution, and promotional strategizing.” Kayla Bunge shared her idea for The Sensory Drop, describing it as “a sensory subscription that gives parents easy, simple access to sensory boxes for their child that inspire creativity through different themes parents can pick based on their child’s interests.” Madison Strug explained her concept for “a bottle that can store all hair products in different compartments rather than having multiple bottles scattered around.” Jesus Campechano explained his idea for a company that uses thermal cameras for law enforcement, allowing officers “to look into the interior of a car to then approach accordingly.”

Experiences like this allow students at Hanover to prepare for future careers. Whether they go to college, to the trades, to the workforce, or become an entrepreneur themselves, these students are better equipped to succeed. By engaging with real-world examples, collaborating with students from other schools, and hearing from an expert, like Dushan Nikolovski, students were able to apply classroom concepts in a new setting while learning new approaches to the entrepreneurial world.