Crawfordians showcase how they organise themselves
The focus was the traits of successful business people, and these eager youngsters couldn't wait to get started.
Crawford International Ruimsig’s Grade 7 Crawfordians recently took up the task of becoming entrepreneurs as part of their Term 2 Trans-Disciplinary Unit, “How We Organise Ourselves”.
The theme was about the characteristics of successful business people, and these eager young folks couldn’t wait to get started. Every year, the college holds a Dragon’s Den event where they are judged by professionals in the same way that the popular TV programme is.
The classes were divided into four or five groups, and each group was responsible for identifying three community needs. They had to brainstorm three potential items or services that could address or meet these needs. The energy in the room was obvious as the young entrepreneurs collaborated to come up with some amazing concepts.
The learners chose one of their products or services after completing significant research and surveys within the school. The excitement was just getting started, as their next duty was to prepare a business proposal that featured a company name, logo, and motto. As part of their presentation, they had to undertake research on the four factors of production, which were ‘labour, capital, land, and entrepreneurship,’ and present their results to the judges.
The learners were also required to do a swot analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) for their chosen product or service. They had to crunch some figures as well as calculate their company’s financials. Crawford International Ruimsig’s Grade 7 learners were proven to be pretty entrepreneurial!
It was time to deliver their ideas to a panel of distinguished judges, which included:
Dr Nomathamsanqa Watala has a doctorate in Economics and has been running two successful enterprises in consulting and digital therapy/ coaching school for 11 years. Both are internationally recognised.
Katlego Msomi – who has spent the last seven years running a TV production firm focused on empowering communities.
Shereen Whitcombe teaches Business Economics at Crawford International Ruimsig High School (grades 8-12).
The learners confidently presented their thoughts in the hall, their eagerness obvious.
The evaluators were astounded by the young entrepreneurs’ inventiveness and innovation. They were impressed by the learners’ understanding of the ideas as well as their research ability. Overall, the exhibits and presentations were very impressive.
The judges were tasked with determining first, second, and third place. Despite the difficulties, they persisted and eventually came to a decision.
None of this would have been possible without the incredible Grade 7 teachers at Crawford International Ruimsig, Luzanne Bornmann, Ms M Seaton-Rogers, Janedy Saaiman, Freedom Munukha, and Sandra Xu.
Overall, the Dragons Den challenge was a thrilling experience for the Grade 7 learners. They obtained vital skills and gained an understanding of the world of entrepreneurship.
Who knows, some of these learners may one day become the next successful entrepreneurs to emerge from their neighbourhood!
Keep an eye out for the final results…
