EAU CLAIRE, Wis.––DeLong middle school students in Eau Claire recently completed Royal Credit Union’s (Royal) Future U.S. Entrepreneurs (FUSE) program. FUSE is a competitive learning experience for students to draw from their business and entrepreneurship classroom lessons to create a complete business proposal and to present it to a panel of experts.
After four weeks of developing their ideas for a small business and submitting business plans, 13 6th, 7th and 8th grade students from DeLong Middle School presented eight different small business ideas. A special FUSE Challenge event was held Royal’s Corporate Center. The students presented their business proposals to a panel of judges and an audience. The top performers were awarded cash prizes to continue the development of their business. Students also sold their products and services after the event to parents and Royal team members who attended the event. The program is expected to expand to other middle schools in the communities’ Royal serves.
This original program was developed through collaboration between Royal Credit Union’s Financial Education and Business Loan Departments. It was offered as a pilot program to students in the Prime Products after-school class at Delong Middle School. Royal said it has now conducted three FUSE programs. Fifty-one students have participated and Royal has awarded over $1000 in cash prizes.