SPARK - Business Academy (Grades K-5)

SPARK Business Academy

SPARK campers spend each day highly engaged in hands-on activities and gamification techniques as they develop essential 21st century skills.  In all programs, campers will develop financial skills along with soft skills in communication, collaboration and public speaking, all while becoming business savvy!  Most programs culminate with a showcase event each Friday that allows campers to present and learn from their peers.  

SPARK has been offering empowering youth programs on financial literacy and entrepreneurship since 2013. Our skills-based programs help campers develop essential life skills and have received glowing parent testimonials. SPARK's unique programs have been featured in Business Week, Bloomberg TV, Georgetown Business and international newspapers.

Dates, Hours, and Fees

Weekly Themes/Programs:

Budding Entrepreneurs

Join other intrepid campers and develop a business plan for your own business idea.  You will learn to take risks and persevere, while making business-like decisions about strategy, marketing and finance (optional activities include building a website and designing business cards).  Campers build confidence "learning by doing" throughout the week and make their pitch presentations on the last day!

Little Inventors

Are you ready to innovate? Get your creative juices flowing in this project-based program, where you will identify the need for an invention, think on your feet, and create structures and solutions.  Campers also learn about famous inventors and internalize how recent innovations improve our lives.

My First Lemonade Stand

Let's sell lemonade! Young campers become "lemonade entrepreneurs" and learn how to make yummy lemonade and earn money selling it!  From designing marketing flyers to estimating profits to experimenting with recipes, campers have fun all week while developing business savvy.  As an optional showcase event, campers launch the lemonade stand on Friday to raise money for a charity they select! 

My First Piggy Bank

Earn, save, spend, donate! Let's learn about money! This innovative program provides a solid foundation on financial literacy for kids in a fun setting. Games and hands-on activities help campers internalize key concepts (like money, budgeting and saving) in an engaging and supportive environment fostering teamwork. Students use their arts & crafts skills to make their own piggy banks!

Young Debaters

Campers learn the art of persuasion and help select debate topics they find interesting. In a public forum debate format, campers work in groups and practice their debating skills in a supportive environment, including developing arguments, issuing rebuttals, providing examples, rebuilding their case and summarizing points of view. Campers learn to think on their feet and enhance their public-speaking skills, gaining self-confidence in the process.