They Learn How To Think Like a Founder

​

Young Founders Junior is an 8-week hands-on entrepreneurship program designed specifically for middle school students ages 11–14.

​

We aren't expecting an 11-year-old to walk out with a fully operating business. We are teaching them something much more important at this age: how to think like a founder.

​

Students learn how to recognize opportunities, develop ideas, solve problems, listen to feedback, make decisions, adapt when something doesn't work, and turn an idea into something they can actually show someone else.

​

Throughout the eight weeks, each student will work toward creating something of their own. It might be a simple product, service, business concept, personal brand, content idea, event, or another project connected to their interests.

​

What Students Will Learn

 

Founder Mindset
Students learn that ideas don't have to be perfect and mistakes aren't failures, they're information. We introduce resilience, curiosity, problem-solving, accountability, and the confidence to try something even when they don't know exactly how it will turn out.

​

Finding an Idea Worth Building
What are you good at? What interests you? What problems do you notice? What could you create that someone else might find useful, interesting, entertaining, or valuable? Students explore their strengths and interests and begin turning them into possible business, product, service, or personal-brand ideas.

​

Understanding the Customer
A great idea isn't just about what you like. Students learn to ask: Who is this for? What do they want or need? Why would they care? They'll practice asking questions, gathering feedback, and using what they learn to improve their ideas.

​

Building the First Version
Students move from talking about their idea to actually making something.

Depending on the project, this could be a prototype, sample product, brand concept, simple service, personal brand development, flyer, offer, demonstration, or other age-appropriate MVP. The focus isn't perfection. It's build, test, learn, improve.

​

Money & Value
Students are introduced to basic business concepts in a way that makes sense for their age: cost, price, revenue, profit, and why someone would exchange money for something they created.

​

Branding & Communication
Students learn how to give their idea an identity and explain it clearly. They'll work on names, messaging, simple branding, and how to communicate what they're creating and why it matters.

​

Confidence & Presentation
Building something is only half the challenge. Students also learn to talk about it.

Throughout the program, they'll practice explaining their ideas, answering questions, receiving feedback, and speaking in front of others.

​

How the Program Works

The 8-Week Journey

Our 8-week enrichment program moves through three connected phases. Each one is designed to build on the last, so the growth is cumulative, not just experiential.

​

Week 1-2: Discovery

Discover your strengths, identify problems and opportunities, generate ideas, and choose something you want to build.

​

Week 3-4: Validation and Testing

Identify your customer, ask questions, collect feedback, challenge your assumptions, and decide whether your original idea needs to change.

​

Week 5-6: Develop

Create the first version of your product, service, brand, or project. Learn basic pricing, branding, marketing, and business decision-making along the way.

​​

Week 7-8: Refine and Present

Test what you've created, listen to feedback, make changes, and prepare to explain your idea confidently. Students present what they've built, what they learned, what changed along the way, and what they would do next.

​

​

What Your Child Will Gain at Our Winter Garden 8-Week Enrichment Program

Here's what we care about most: what does your child walk away with?

Not a lanyard. Not a certificate. Something they actually use.

​

​

Confidence and Self-Esteem

Confidence isn't taught. It's built through experience, through struggle, through being in an environment where it's safe to try and okay to fail. A 2024 study on youth camp program quality found that safe, supportive environments were the primary driver of growth in self-efficacy and prosocial behavior among kids ages 9-12. That's not a coincidence. That's the design. (Herring, 2025 - RANGE Undergraduate Research Journal)

​

​

Communication and Critical Thinking

Every activity is built around collaboration. Kids have to listen, disagree respectfully, present ideas, and persuade others. These aren't soft skills. They're the skills that determine how far someone goes.

​

​

Leadership and Responsibility

Kids don't learn leadership by being told what it is. They learn it by practicing it in low-stakes situations, with support around them, before the world expects it of them. The YMCA's research on youth leadership programs notes that teens who develop leadership skills in structured, supportive settings are significantly better prepared for both academic and professional challenges ahead.

​

​

Entrepreneurship and Real-World Projects

Students work in teams on real projects pitching ideas, solving problems, making decisions under pressure. They learn how to move from an idea to an action plan. That's a skill most adults are still figuring out.

​

​

Social Skills and Peer Connection

Small group sizes mean kids actually get to know each other. Not just as classmates, as teammates. The friendships that form here tend to stick.

​

​

Why Choose Plant Street Academy for Young Founder Junior Enrichment Program in Winter Garden, FL?

There are plenty of options in West Orange County. Here's what makes this one different.

​

A Program Built for Long-Term Growth, Not Just  Fun

We're not trying to keep kids busy. We're trying to change how they see themselves.

The three-phase progression model means that every summer builds on the one before it. Skills compound. Confidence deepens. And by the time a student reaches the Leadership phase, they've earned every bit of it.

​

Small Groups, Personalized Attention

We keep group sizes intentionally small. That means your child isn't just another attendee. They're seen, challenged, and supported by people who actually know them.

​

Conveniently Located Near Downtown Winter Garden

We're at 855 E. Plant St., Suite 900 - right in the heart of Winter Garden. Easy drop-off, easy pick-up, and close to everything that makes this community worth being part of.

​

A Proven Track Record

Parents report real changes. Not just "my kid had fun" - but "I didn't recognize hime!" "He couldn't wait to go back." "He coaches his peers now." That's the goal. And it's what keeps families coming back, year after year.

​​

Award Winning

Young Founders Junior was proudly voted 2026 Best of the Best - Best Kids Program by our local community and the families we serve. This recognition reflects the confidence, leadership, communication skills, and real-world growth parents have seen in their children and we're honored to be part of that transformation.

​

Program Details

Who Can Attend?

Our program is designed for children ages 11-14

​

Session Dates

• Duration: 8-week enrichment program

• Schedule: Wednesdays, 3:00–5:00 PM

• Dates: October 7, 14, 21, 28 • November 4, 11, 18 • December 2

• Tuition: $495

• Payment Options: Direct Pay or Step Up Scholarship

• Location: 855 E Plant Street Academy, Suite 900, Winter Garden

• Limited seating available (only 20 students)

​

How to Enroll

Direct Pay: you can register your child here.

Step Up Scholarship: Log in to your Step Up Portal and search for Plant Street Academy, Young Founder Junior Program, Catalogue item # 20123516

​

 

Frequently Asked Questions

​

Is the program open to families from outside Winter Garden?

Yes. We serve families from across West Orange County - Winter Garden, Clermont, Minneola, Windermere, Ocoee, Oakland and surrounding areas.

 

What age groups do you serve?

Young Founder Junior is designed for children ages 11-14.

 

When does it start?

October 7, 14, 21, 28 • November 4, 11, 18 • December 2

 

What are the hours?

3pm - 5pm​

​

How do I register?

Direct Pay: you can register your child here.

Step Up Scholarship: Log in to your Step Up Portal and search for Plant Street Academy, Young Founder Junior Program, Catalogue item # 20123516

 

What makes this different from other enrichment programs near Winter Garden?

Most enrichment programs have a start and end. Ours is built around continuous development - every week moves your child forward, not just through it. We work with each student individually and create their own path to success. ​

​

​

Fall  2026 Spots Are Filling Fast

Young Founder Junior starts on October 7. If you're considering it, now is the time.

Questions? Reach us at team@plantstreetacademy.com