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Biz Kidz Academy
2024 -2025 Programs, Events, and Activities
About Biz Kidz Academy
Founded by Dr. Marlene Jackson and daughter, Ashley Cole, Biz Kidz Academy is a non-profit 501 (c) organization developed to creatively empower students (Ages 8-18). Biz Kidz Academy engages elementary, middle, and high school students in real-world business experiences, events and activities. Our mission is to inspire students to creatively embrace their entrepreneurial spirit, lead confidently, think critically, and be financially responsible. Our goal is to empower students with the creative guidance, resources, and tools required to be confident and self-assured decision makers. Biz Kidz is extremely excited about our successful 2024 program and the impact we are having on kids and teens throughout Howard County. We are equally excited about the program we have planned for 2025.
Biz Kidz Academy – 2025 Grant Recipient
Biz Kidz Academy is excited to announce that our organization has recently been awarded Howard County’s FY25 Youth Engagement Programming (YEP) Grant. We are particularly thrilled that, based on the positive impact and design of our program, our grant proposal stood out. Despite a highly competitive pool of applicants, our proposal successfully distinguished itself with the review board.
The YEP grant period will officially run from January 1, 2025through December 31, 2025. During this period, Biz Kidz will sponsor a Shark Tank Competition and award educational scholarships, laptops, awards, and other prizes to our top winners.
In partnership with Howard County Public Schools, libraries, businesses, and organizations, our program will also sponsor a special awards ceremony, workshops, mentorships, vendor day events, and much more. For more information and details, please sign up below.
Howard County Library Workshop Series (2025 Workshop Topics/Dates Coming Soon)
In partnership with the Howard County Public Library System. Biz Kidz is conducting two workshop series at the Ellicott City and Glenwood Library Branches. Look for our 2025 list of workshop topics, dates, and locations soon.
Biz Kidz Activity Guide
In the continuing effort to provide Howard County students with business startup resources, Biz Kidz Activity Academy’s Activity Guides were distributed to students throughout the county. The guide provides students with educational fun activities, games, exercises, and mini lessons developed to encourage students to turn their creative ideas into a money-making business.
Fun Social Skills for Success Mentorship Program
Biz Kidz will be launching a “Fun Social Skills for Success Mentorship Program” to elementary age students throughout Howard County.
The purpose of the program is to encourage student’s self-awareness, social skills, and leadership abilities. More details will be provided. Biz Kidz Academy look forward to partnering with Howard County organizations to sponsor our 2025 essay competition, scholarships, and other events.
Biz Kidz Newsletter – 2024 Winter Edition
Would you like to learn more about our upcoming programs, events, activities? Biz Kidz News You Can Use is a new newsletter developed to help build partnerships with local Howard County organizations, businesses, institutions, groups, etc. The goal of the newsletter is to strengthen partnerships that will aid Biz Kidz in equipping county students with the knowledge, skills, resources, tools, and opportunities required to establish their very own small businesses and become confident community leaders. Contact us today to subscribe!
For the Winter edition of the newsletter, contact Dr. Marlene Jackson at bizkidz2017@gmail.com.
2024 -2025 Frances Barber Scholarships (For High School College-Bound Students)
Honoring the loving memory of an extraordinary mother and grandmother,
Biz Kidz Academy awards $500.00 Frances Barber Educational Scholarships to college-bound high school students.
Biz Kidz scholarships help students pay for tuition, room, board, fees, and other expenses like books. Howard County students who compete to win scholarships can lessen the amount of student loans they need to take out.
When it comes to winning a Biz Kidz scholarships, student’s chances of winning go way up when they compose an outstanding essay. Composing an essay is also a great opportunity for young competitors to discuss their goals and motivation for attending college.
A special thank you to
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball
for awarding young entrepreneurs the
Frances Barber Scholarship.
Fall 2024 Fall Howard County Public School System (HPSS) Partnership – FREE Educational Scholarship Program
In partnership with the HCPSS, Biz Kidz will be offering college-bound high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to compete for scholarships to help offset their tuition, books, and/or other small college expenses. In conjunction with the HCPSS Educational Scholarship Program, Biz Kidz is sponsoring a Writing and Video Competition for high school juniors and seniors.
Students are encouraged to creatively express themselves in a 500-word essay on a topic that inspires them. Alternatively, they may submit a 10–15-minute video that incorporates an original speech, business idea, dance, song, poem, performance, animation, photo collage, illustration, graphic design, STEM venture, or other creative expression.
The competition opens on August 10, 2024. The entry deadline for competitors is November. 9, 2024. A panel of judges will select the competition winners.
Sign Up Today for Biz Kidz Newsletter, Workshops, Competitions and More!
Registration Form
Biz Kidz Activity Guide
The Biz Kidz Activity Academy’ Gide is full of educational fun activities, games, exercises, and mini- lessons developed to encourage students to turn their creative ideas into a money-making business. With an emphasis on self-awareness, problem-solving, critical thinking, goal setting, and leadership, young entrepreneurs will develop such skills as creative writing, business planning, money management, marketing, business pitching (public speaking), portfolio building, web design, copyrighting, book self-publishing, and much more. This self-paced guide also provides a section for parents and teachers to engage in lessons with young entrepreneurs. The guide offers tips and FREE resources to aid adults in supporting young entrepreneurs as they to complete their business-growth activities. By the end of the guide, students have all the skills needed required to start or grow a business, pitch their business idea, and publish a book. Available on Amazon.
Registration Now Open
Kids and teens are encouraged to submit an original 500-word paper or 5 -10-minute engaging video presentation.
The winners will be selected by a panel of judges. Competitors are judged on their ability to articulate and display clearly their written and oral communications skills. Participants may chose a familiar topic that inspires them. They are also required to explain why they deserve to be selected as a competition winner. CREATIVITY COUNTED!
Young competitors may choose to submit one of the following:
500-Word Essay
Writing competitors are judged on their overall ability to
clearly compose and express their ideas in written form.
Participants are judged on their creative ability to:
- Clearly introduce the topic.
- Effectively write the main points.
- Demonstrate accurate spelling, grammar, and
punctuation. - Clearly summarize the topic.
- Adhere to the 500-word requirement
Other Biz Kidz Academy Programs
High School – College Transition Program
Biz Kidz Academy High School – College Transition Program is a business-building platform created to build partnerships with higher learning institutions. The objective of the program is to provide college-level entrepreneurs with an additional resource tool to utilize with existing college business resources. College students will participate in individual and team building entrepreneurial projects as they gain valuable real-world lifelong learning skills including, goal setting, problem solving. Visit our website for more information.
Biz Kidz In-Flight Initiative
Biz Kidz Academy is excited to announce our expansion into Atlanta and Canada. We offer aspiring young entrepreneurs and innovative students an opportunity to launch and grow their business and creative ideas. We look forwarded to expanding into other regions around the world.
Atlanta Chapter
A special thank you to Tracy Lewis and Dena Patrice for coordinating the Biz Kidz Atlanta Chapter. In partnership with Atlanta’s Recreation and Parks and Futon Library Systems, a workshop series was offered to kidpreneurs throughout Atlanta. A special thank you to Tracy Lewis and Dena Patrice for coordinating the Biz Kidz Atlanta Chapter.
Canada Chapter
In conjunction with The Niagara Falls Public Library, Biz Kidz Academy sponsored a one-day on Saturday, May 18, 2019. During the series, kids and teens developed vision boards, business plans, marketing brands, websites, and business budgets. A special award ceremony was celebrated as Niagara Falls Mayor Diodati presented Canada’s Biz Kidz with a Workshop Certificate of Completion.
Call For Sponsors
Biz Kidz Academy provides Howard County kids and youth with a comprehensive entrepreneurship program that aims to equip them with the professional knowledge, skills, resources, tools, and opportunities required to establish their very own small business.
Our goal is to implement an all-inclusive business start-up program that provides Howard County students with the experience required to address their self-confidence and contribute to their financial independence.
By connecting young entrepreneurs with educators, local business owners, community leaders, partnering networks, mentors, and money-making prospects, our program makes a significant impact on thier income, entrepreneurial success, and ability to contribute to a stronger economic economy.
We Need Your Help!
Our dream is to raise enough capital to provide students financial support, scholarships, grants, laptops, etc. year-round. We’re reaching out to sponsors to help us to raise enough capital to continue to provide financial support to students.
Please contact Dr. Marlene Jackson at bizkidz2017@gmail.com to discover how you can become a partner and help us raise donations to empower our creative students nationwide.