INDIANAPOLIS — A free summer camp on Indy’s near northside is teaching kids the importance of entrepreneurship by getting their hands dirty in an urban garden. The Urban Youth Entrepreneur Academy focuses on cultivating entrepreneurial skills while introducing participants to the significance of healthy soil and nurturing plants.
Many of the kids attending the camp had never handled gardening tools before they arrived. Fifteen-year-old Roman Underwood explained, "I've learned everything here." He shared his excitement about the lessons he absorbed: "We learned about fungi that live in the soil."
When reflecting on the garden's transformation, he added, "We started with basically nothing. Weeds, the dirt was so bad and all dusty. There was no possibility of growing anything, but with the help of Mr. Chandler, we were able to get some soil in and these lovely plants."
The academy teaches children that starting from the ground up is a core principle of entrepreneurship.
The organization’s founder, Tyrone Chandler, noted, "A lot of them are interested in doing their own businesses, and so we try to help them hone in on exactly what they want to do."
Chandler established the Urban Youth Entrepreneur Academy five years ago with the goal of providing hands-on experiences over the course of the summer.
Fourteen-year-old Jayla Jackson who wants to be an entrepreneur herself, highlighted the variety of plants they cultivated: "We planted collard greens, turnip greens, strawberries, peppers, etc."
Associate teacher Grover Edwards also emphasized the importance of the learning process, stating, "They see the elevation of it, the growth of it. Here we’re going to do tomatoes because they saw the work they put in, so everything is pride."
The primary objective of the academy is to expose Indianapolis youth, especially those from minority backgrounds, to entrepreneurship and equip them with essential tools to foster a better community.
"At some point, we might have to start growing our own foods, so we wanted our kids to learn how to do that but also learn how to start their own business," Chandler said.
During the summer camp sessions, participants also engaged in classroom activities, working with mentors on business plans, math, and managing money, further reinforcing the entrepreneurial skills essential for future success.
They also participate in a podcast workshop.
Chandler holds camps all year long, including an upcoming summer camp that will focus on 3D printing, flying drones and other skills through STEM.
The camp is located at the Bradley Center at 877 Udell Street.
To sign up or learn more, call Tyrone Chandler at the Bradley Center at 317-506-6157.
