2024 NEXT PREP Registration
About NEXTPREP:
NEXTPREP is a free program aimed at middle school education systems to teach creative thinking and entrepreneurial mindset to 7th – 8th grade students in the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati Region.
How it works:
- Students complete the 2024 registration form below to register.
- We get in contact and send guidelines on to how to pitch between now and the submission date on May 10th.
- We issue awards to the winners following the submission date!
Why Enroll Your Students?
- Teaches creative thinking and entrepreneurial mindset.
- Boosts student confidence, sets them up for success in high school and after.
- Enhances academic performance and increases student interest in school subjects.
- Gives students unique chance to be awarded for their efforts.
Overview
Through our program students are encouraged to:
1. Find a problem
2. Look at existing competitors
3. Find how to differentiate themselves to offer a better solution
Pitch Video Examples:
Video submissions must be between 1 – 2 minutes in length and uploaded to Google Drive or YouTube to be considered for submission.
What is a pitch competition?
An elevator pitch is a 2-minute explanation of a solution to a problem, product, or service. Creating a pitch teaches students to present themselves, use out-of-the-box thinking, and to be solution-oriented.
What is an entrepreneurial mindset?
Entrepreneurial mindset is broadly defined as finding opportunities to take initiative and create solutions. Students who study entrepreneurial thinking learn how to find problems, create solutions, take ownership and initiate change.
Entrepreneurial mindset is often associated with small business ownership and making money, however, entrepreneurial thinking can be applied to school subjects, the classroom, school projects, jobs, and careers.
Who can participate?
Students in grades 7-8 from schools based in counties in the Northern Kentucky area and Greater Cincinnati Area may participate. Counties encouraged to apply are highlighted on the left.
Can students enter as a team?
Students can work as teams or individually (prize is per entry). 1-3 people per team is recommended.
Do schools pay to participate?
No. School participation is completely free.
What materials will students receive?
Once enrolled, we'll send a problem worksheet, videos of examples of winning pitches, and small exercises students can do to stretch their creativity. Students will be able to use the work sheet and example videos to prepare for their submission before the submission date in May.
What kinds of prizes can students receive?
Middle school students will be earning amazon gift cards based on their placement in the competition.
1st place - $ 250
2nd place - $ 150
3rd place - $ 75
Graduating middle school students who participate in NEXT 2024-2025, Square1’s high school program, will have the opportunity to compete for scholarships and large cash prizes. Check out our NEXT program page to get your school district involved.
Can my school distrcit become involved in NEXT?
Yes! NEXT is our program for high school students to build their business concept from the ground up and compete to win scholarships at the end of the school year.
Visit https://square1next.org/next-startup-resources/next-registration/ to enroll your school in our high school program.
