Altgeld Entrepreneurship Program Overview
JOHN 10:10
"The thief comers only to steal and kill and destroy. I cam so that they may have life and have it abundantly."
OUR MISSION
BOWEN HARVEST MISSION
The goal for this program is for our students to have a balanced educational experience in business an entrepreneurship while creating a platform for them to attain hands-on business experience while serving the community.
1. WORKSHOPS IN BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Bowen Harvest students will get education and workshop training in business and entrepreneurship.
High School Students 9th-12th Grades Ages 15+ 4 Calendar School Year Program that Includes Summers
Classes and Workshops are 2 Hour Session that Meet 2-3 Times per Week Classes are Conducted by BTH Staff as well as Contracted Educators and Guest Speakers
2. BUSINESS EXPERIENCE WITH BOWEN HARVEST
Bowen Harvest is a student-led business incubator created so that they can get hands-on practical experience in business while serving their communities and using entrepreneurship as a form of social justice.
Student-Led Fresh Produce Market Located at BTH in the Austin Community Provides Fresh Produce to the Austin Community Ran by the Students with Staff Assistance
Serves the Austin Community and Surrounding Areas Students Get Hands-On Experience in Business While Serving the Community
2025 PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
The following is a weekly breakdown of the 1st Quarter 2025 schedule for the Altgeld Gardens Entrepreneurship training program. These sessions will take place once a week for 1 hour per session.
JANUARY 2025
UNDERSTANDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP/INTRO TO FREIGHT FARMING
This class session will focus on educating the students on the general concept of entrepreneurship and business ownership. They will also get a better understanding of freight farming and how it can serve the community.
UNDERSTANDING S BASICS OF BUSINESS AND WORK ETHIC
This session will focus on the concept and practice developing practical business skills and work ethic.
THE NEEDS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN OUR COMMUNITY
This class session will focus on identifying some of the challenges that exist in underserved communities and the source of these problems.
BUSINESSES SKILSS AND DEVELOPMENT
This class session will take an in-depth look at business work ethic and development to ready our students to practice freight farming.
FEBRUARY 2025
WHAT ARE FOOD DESERTS AND WHY DO THEY EXIST?
This class session will focus on identifying a central problem in many underserved communities: Food Deserts. It will explore what they are and why do they exist.
LONG AND SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF FOOD DERSERTS IN THE COMMUNITY
This class session will focus the short and long-terms effects of the health and wellness of the residents in the community.
SOLVING THE PROBLEM
This class session will focus on identifying the ways in which we can work to eradicate the food deserts in the community using the freight farm.
ALTERNATIVE FARMING
This class session will give students an introduction to alternative farming methods, their benefits and how they can assist in eradicating food deserts, making them an effective tool for social justice as it pertains to food and health and wellness.
FIELD TRIPS
JANUARY 2025
FIELD TRIP: GROWING HOME
Students will visit Growing Home, a local urban farm that uses farming as a means for employment. This organization trains the local community on farming methods leading to employment.
FEBRUARY 2025
FEILD TRIP: FARM ON OGDEN
Students will visit the Farm on Ogden. Here they will get exposure to an actual farm in the urban community. They will learn about its origins, see how it is operated and sustained, and learn of its benefits to the community.
MARCH 2025
FIELD TRIP: FREIGHT TO PLATE
The students will visit one of our partners, Freight to Plate to see an example of a working freight farm and how it functions. Also they will see how it serves local businesses and the community.
APRIL 2025
FIELD TRIP: CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN
Students will visit the Chicago Botanic Garden for an up-close look at their program: Windy City Harvest, which focuses on job-training to bring food, health, and jobs to the community.
