Expanding High School Entrepreneurship at Lyons Township
At Lyons Township High School, a special kind of energy thrives—a blend of creativity, community, and entrepreneurial spirit. This energy isn’t just a result of the school's infrastructure or curriculum but is driven by the passionate individuals who walk its corridors. At the heart of this vibrant community is Michael Archbold, a dedicated business teacher and leader of the INCubatoredu program.
Since joining Lyons Township, Archbold, who describes himself as "a high school business teacher," has transformed the high school entrepreneurship curriculum. Last year, the program had just one section with 17 students. "Now, this year, we have two sections of 52 kids," he says, reflecting on the growth of the program. Archbold attributes this growth to two key factors..."Our communications department created a first-class spotlight video and that was communicated to all the students, parents, and community members. And I also think the students just love the class.”
A Different Kind of Learning Experience
For students like William Sordyl, the INCubatoredu class offers a refreshing departure from traditional high school education. He explains, “A traditional high school class has three main components: note-taking, homework, and testing. This is true with all of the business classes I have taken before, but INCubatoredu takes a different approach.”
This unique approach to high school entrepreneurship provides students with the chance to step outside the traditional classroom structure. "It's not math class or history class," Archbold says. "They get to come in, and it's one of the few classes that we offer where the students are really able to just be creative and try and fail and be okay with that. And get pushed to try again."
Turning Ideas into Real-World Solutions
William describes how the class begins with brainstorming problems in their own lives that they can solve with entrepreneurial skills. “For most of us, this was our first time having to go out into the world and talk to people for school,” he says. The students conducted interviews with people in their target markets to validate the problems they identified. This process led to the creation of innovative businesses like Foreball, SafeBand, LocalSocial, SmartID, and TeenWork.
Mentorship and Real-World Learning
One of the standout features of the INCubatoredu program is the mentorship students receive from community professionals. These mentors provide invaluable guidance and support as students develop their businesses. According to William, "They were pivotal in helping us to effectively shape our ideas to real-world needs."
Archbold believes that mentorship is one of the most valuable aspects of the program, as the mentors bring a wealth of real-world experience that the students wouldn’t otherwise have access to. They’re helping students understand what it takes to succeed outside the classroom, and that’s something you can’t teach from a textbook.”That’s the secret sauce of that class,” Archbold says. “La Grange Business Association and West Suburban Chamber of Commerce and Industry have been good partners…I could teach the class without anybody, but clearly, we leave so much to be desired if I’m the only voice.”
More Than Business: Lifelong Skills for Entrepreneur Students
Throughout the year, students dive into every aspect of running a business, including financial analysis. They learn how to use finance to predict success and drive business profits. This work culminates in the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) presentations, where students pitch their business ideas and outline their plans for creating and testing prototypes.
Archbold emphasizes the importance of these skills: “Entrepreneurship is more than business. It's more about a place to develop durable skills. I would say the most important thing is walking away with those lifelong learning skills. And as I mentioned before, being okay with failure and learning from it, being able to communicate effectively, and working with different departments and different community members that come into the classroom.”
Entrepreneurship Builds Confidence
Archbold is especially proud of the transformation he sees in his students over the course of the year. “I have multiple examples of students who walked in shy and didn’t say anything. And when I watched the final pitches at our school, I told all of my students I felt like such a proud papa because these kids absolutely killed it. There’s no way, given what I saw in May, they would have been able to do that back in August.”
After months of hard work during the school year, the students reach the moment they’ve been working toward—the final pitches. Armed with the knowledge and skills they’ve developed throughout the year, they present their businesses to a supportive audience of peers, mentors, and community members. As William puts it, "Using our presentations and knowledge we worked hard all year to develop, we all excelled in front of the crowd that came to support us."
Reflecting on his role in the students' journey, Archbold says, "They do the work, they put up with me pushing them and coming at it with high energy at 7:00 in the morning every single day. And they respond, and they just absolutely kill the day."
Preparing Students for the Future Through Entrepreneurship
Principal Jen Tyrrell also recognizes the program's impact on students'
futures: "One of the things that we talk about here at LT is preparing our students for whatever their next step is. We have a myriad of course offerings where students get career-related exposure, and there’s no better example than our INCubatoredu program, where students solve real-life business problems, work with professionals in the industry, and learn those skills that are transferable to whatever their area of employment is after high school.”
The growth of the INCubatoredu program at Lyons Township High School is
a testament to the impact of a teacher who cares profoundly and inspires others to care. Under Archbold's guidance, LT students aren’t just learning about business—they’re learning how to make a difference in the world. Learn more about this program at Lyons Township High School [YouTube].
This story was sourced from previously printed articles and an interview with Michael Archbold. Articles include Greet La Grange Magazine, 'INCubator Lyons Township Class Highlight, By student William Sordyl, and Hillgrove Magazine, a regional magazine serving Western Suburbs, Chicago, IL, 'Booming Business ‘Entrepreneurial course exploding in popularity at Lyons Township High School,' by Mike Ellis.
