Camp Ignite instills key business, life skills

Future entrepreneurs developed their leadership and business skills at the immersive student-led Camp Ignite.

Held at the Center of Innovation, Camp Ignite is a three-day leadership and entrepreneur camp designed to prepare rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders. It is a program powered by the partnership of Launch Fayette with the McIntosh High Future Business Leaders of America chapter and Fayette County Public Schools Leadership Academy.

The camp builds necessary career skills, soft skills, and leadership techniques to navigate the workforce and build useful habits for high school. Student leaders spent months helping develop the schedule, activities, and curriculum for Camp Ignite.

Throughout the week, campers were supervised by FCBOE staff, Launch Fayette staff, and mentors. Each camper was paired with a high school student mentor whose role was to answer questions, guide campers through activities, help teach key concepts, and ensure every student feels welcomed and included. The goal was creating a positive, engaging, and welcoming environment where students felt comfortable asking questions, participating in activities, and developing their leadership and business skills.

Student-led discussions tackled three key topics: Introduction to business, soft skills, and high school preparation.

Introduction to businesses focused on foundational ideas like how to turn a passion into profit, building a pitch, finding a target audience, and the importance of learning from failure and continuing to grow into success.

The soft skills seminar touched on conflict management, speaking and presentation, refining your message, and other tips.

High school preparation gave advice on managing a larger workload, shifting from learning to remembering, and a look at the pathway to college.

Guest speakers included a software designer, a marketing professional, and Fayette County Public Schools Coordinator of Continuous Quality Improvement Sheila Autrey.