Over the past seven months, five Vermont educators took part in a professional development initiative, “Entrepreneurial Pathways: Connecting Learning to Life and Work,” led by VtSBDC advisor Tamie-Jo Dickinson. The program, held from November through April, equipped participants with practical, classroom-ready strategies for integrating entrepreneurship into everyday learning.
The experience began with a full-day, in-person session in November, where participants engaged in hands-on activities and explored effective ways to introduce the Business Model Canvas to students. In the months that followed, the cohort continued through a series of virtual sessions—expanding their instructional toolkit, accessing curated curriculum resources, and collaborating with peers while piloting new ideas in their classrooms.
“In this training, you aren’t just gaining a curriculum—you’re gaining the tools to turn your classroom into an incubator for innovation,” said Alex Herzog, a program participant and administrator at Lyndon Institute.
On May 1, the cohort reconvened at Vermont State University’s Randolph campus to cap off the experience. The session highlighted the program’s impact, as participants shared fully developed, classroom-ready projects designed to increase student engagement and strengthen real-world, career-connected skills.
“I highly recommend this professional development opportunity to fellow educators seeking meaningful, real-world learning,” said Erin Lovett-Sherman of Twin Valley Middle High School. “Thank you to VtSBDC for making this course available.”
Participants included Jason Miles (Montpelier High School), Eli Rosenberg (Main Street Middle School, Montpelier), Sarah Popowicz (Harwood Union High School), Alex Herzog (Lyndon Institute), and Erin Lovett-Sherman (Twin Valley Middle High School).