BOSTON — High school students in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood are learning the ropes of starting a new business.
“A lot of things that can help you in your day,” said freshman Ethan Judin.
Together, this group created a self-help kit.
“I wanted to make self-help and self-care more accessible,” said Tahana Jordan, the freshman who came up with the business idea for Spirit Box.
“I have friends who struggle with their mental health and it makes me sad when they feel like they can’t help themselves,” Jordan said.
The teenagers are part of a program called ‘Build Boston’.
“We are an entrepreneurship education program for high school students,” said Betty Neptune, Boston Regional Executive Director.
Inside the ghost box are self-care items, including a squishy bun for nervous tension and a diary.
“Writing down your feelings is the best form of therapy,” says Jordan.
There is a soft colored pen and of course a candle.
“I think they smell good and make the box smell good,” Jordan said.
All this happened when the students were not in the classroom during the covid pandemic and distance education. And this is when the idea of self-help and self-care was born.
Each student has a management role. Jordan is the CEO. Japheth Rodriguez is Chief Marketing Officer.
“I catch the ads. Bringing our business there,” Rodriguez said.
Ethan Judin is the Chief Operating Officer. “We all get along well and know each other,” said Jewdin.
and Iandel Ramos is the Chief Financial Officer. He says building Boston helped build him.
“I think trying to talk in the moment has helped me a lot,” Ramos said.
The students are amazing, but teachers like Chris Mee, who have trained this group and spent countless hours encouraging it, are the reason it has successfully graduated hundreds of students to date.
“The truth is, our students are special, but our teachers help us see that they are special,” Neptune said.
These four students are finalists in a city-wide entrepreneurship competition similar to the famous Shark Tank. Two other teams will meet in Boston on Wednesday night to convince the judges, including former Patriot Devon McCourty, that their idea is better.
The event will be emceed by Boston 25 News anchor Vanessa Welch. The race has one winner, but this team knows what they learned from Boston’s build will help them all excel.
This is a growing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
take down Free Boston 25 News app Alerts for breaking news.
Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 news now