Running a business as a high school student is no easy task, but across the Indiana Uplands, young entrepreneurs are stepping up to the challenge every school day. That shared experience brought these young Uplanders together on April 14 to learn from one another and sharpen their skills. Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI), in partnership with … Continue reading PHOTO GALLERIES: Uplands Made 2026
The future of business is here in the Indiana Uplands — and it’s student-run! More than 250 student entrepreneurs and educators from 12 schools gathered in Jasper on April 9 for ROI's 4th annual Uplands Made Conference. This event provides students opportunities learning, networking, presenting and showing off their products and skills.
Photos courtesy of Creative Technology Corp. Knowing how to give a firm handshake, work in a team setting, write a professional email, and follow a budget – some skills students learn best outside the traditional classroom. Those skills, and more, were on display when Regional Opportunity Initiatives convened the third annual Uplands Made Student-Run Business … Continue reading Creating connections: Students, educators attend Uplands Made student-run business conference
In November, ROI Ready Schools Cohort 4 members traveled to Cardinal Manufacturing to learn about this successful student-run business in rural Strum, Wisconsin. Ready Schools is ROI’s flagship educational design-thinking framework that supports PK-12 school districts in aligning their curricular and programmatic offerings to the academic and workforce needs of the Indiana Uplands.
On April 25, ROI convened 100 Indiana Uplands students from eight high schools gathered along with 50 school educators, administrators and industry leaders in Brown County for the second annual Uplands Made student-run business conference. At the event, students toured Eagle Manufacturing’s new facility, showcased their products, and led presentations on screen printing, production management, … Continue reading Photo Gallery: Second annual Uplands Made conference
This week, ROI gathered SEVEN Indiana Uplands student-run businesses for the first Uplands Made conference. This was the first event for students, advisors, and administrators to gather all together since launching their businesses in the last couple of years. Eagle Manufacturing (Brown County High School)Edgewood Coffee Corral (Edgewood High School)Jeep Engineering & Manufacturing (Northeast Dubois … Continue reading Seven student-run businesses form “Uplands Made” Network
Ivory Ella is a company committed to giving back. Not only does the clothing company donate 10% of its profits to charities, Ivory Ella is also helping one Indiana Uplands student-run business to successfully scale and grow.
In a region with many opportunities in advanced manufacturing, White River Valley's machining program lights a pathway to future prosperity.
A student-run enterprise with transformative learning experiences
The ROI team and the 2017 cohort of Ready Schools recently joined the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) for a visit to Cardinal Manufacturing at Eleva-Strum Schools in Strum, Wisconsin. Cardinal Manufacturing is a student-run machine shop that teaches students needed technical or soft skills. These high school students learn to manage a … Continue reading Ready Schools visit student-run machine shop
