Cody-Kilgore Unified Schools

Mission Statement of CKUS• Committed• Knowledgeable • Unified • Successful

Cody-Kilgore Unified Schools

• Nestled in the Sandhills of extreme north central Nebraska, the Cody-Kilgore Unified School District is composed of several small communities that dot U.S. 20. Collectively, these communities have worked to retain the customs and traditions of small-town living. C-K Schools honor these traditions while integrating technology and 21st century skills to provide students with a unique educational experience.

Cody-Kilgore Focusing on Entrepreneurship

In the spring of 2009 the C-K Public Relations Committee worked with the Nebraska Center for Rural Affairs. The goal of this partnership was to procure a grant for the USDA for initiating a student run grocery store.

The partnership was successful and C-K School was awarded a $75,000 grant to initiate and implement a student run grocery store.

$75,000 Grant Signing with the USDA

Why Entrepreneurship?• “Entrepreneurship is a key driver of our economy. Wealth and a high

majority of jobs are created by small businesses started by entrepreneurially minded individuals, many of whom go on to create big businesses. People exposed to entrepreneurship frequently express that they have more opportunity to exercise creative freedoms, higher self esteem, and an overall greater sense of control over their own lives. As a result, many experienced business people political leaders, economists, and educators believe that fostering a robust entrepreneurial culture will maximize individual and collective economic and social success on a local, national, and global scale. It is with this in mind that the National Standards for Entrepreneurship Education were developed: to prepare youth and adults to succeed in an entrepreneurial economy.”

• Taken from the Nebraska Department of Education Website http://www.education.ne.gov/entreped/importance.html

The Ongoing Process

• The focus of this project is student education and experience.

• Interested students filled out applications and were interviewed to serve on the student steering committee.

• Students named their steering committee GRIT. C-K’s mascot is the cowboy and cowboys must have grit. Students created this acronym: Growing Revitalizing Investing Teamwork.

2009-2010 Steering Committee

Student Designed Logo

Students and Sponsors Attend Governor's Conference on Rural Development

Students Learning about Entrepreneurship Curriculum

Why a Grocery Store?

• This community has been without a grocery store for the last decade. Therefore, a store provides a necessary service for current residents and provides a real life learning lab for students. It also makes the area more appealing to draw new residents. New residents increase population and help keep the school doors open.

Community Leaders and Students Brainstorming

Real Life=Real Set Backs

• The original location for the grocery store was to be shared space with a local business. However, those plans fell through and an alternative had to found.

• The Village Board supported the concept of educating students and providing a much needed service to the community. The Village of Cody then applied for an additional grant to build a new community building to house the store and Entrepreneurship Center.

2nd Grant Received by Village of Cody for Building to House Entrepreneurial Center

• The students and adults on the GRIT committee decided to go GREEN. The coming facility will be a straw bale building. This is an environmentally friendly and less expensive option. We are comfortable with this decision as there is already a straw bale building and business successfully operating in Cody. Some pictures follow on the next slide.

George Paul VinegaryStraw Bale Building Located in Cody

Beautiful Building: Warm in the Winter and Cool in the Summer

Community Bales Hay for Future Building

• Hard Work, Great Volunteers

• Huge Day• Round bales were rolled

out and baled.• 700 bales stored for

winter.• Looking at Spring

Construction

Bales to be used for construction in the spring of 2012.

“Community members and students put in a tremendous amount of work today. We appreciate their efforts.” John Johnson, Village Chairman.

Location Challenges

The perfect location for our student run grocery store and entrepreneurial center is on the corner as you enter town. This property is owned by the Nebraska Game and Parks. It is part of the Rail Bank system because it sits along the former railroad path.The railroad has been taken out and will not be coming back, however, a law states that the property must be building free in case a railroad is reinstated. Displaying true “GRIT” we refused to take no for an answer. After an extensive campaign and a personal meeting with our students, Game and Parks conceded and have allowed us to lease the property for 99 years.

Student Growth and Opportunities

• This project has grown students in a variety of ways with a plethora of experiences. Students have researched, interviewed, and written a business plan. Students have presented their plan numerous times and conducted community meetings.

• The learning has only just begun as we move into the construction phase, hiring of a store manager, opening day, and keeping the store books.