Identifying Local Opportunities

Alachua County Approves Ordinance Making it Illegal to Sell Tobacco to Anyone Under 21 (link)

The usage of tobacco products (including Juuls) has run rampant amongst the younger generations, including those 21 and under, Alachua county took a big initiative to ban the selling of tobacco products to those UNDER 21, and that includes all nicotine based vapes and e-cigs. The problem is that younger people, including high schoolers, have abused products like Juuls and vapes, which may have a bigger negative impact on their lives that is unforeseen. Nicotine addiction is a prominent and insatiable addiction, so the county is cracking down on younger generations obtaining products that contain nicotine. This will make 21 and under's have a harder time finding tobacco products, which is most likely for the best. 

Hope Squad Comes To Alachua County High Schools For Suicide Prevention Training (link)

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Hope Squad is an up and coming peer counseling program in high schools to help decrease the rate       of suicide  in high schools. Suicide is one of the largest causes of death for those ages 10 to 34. Suicide is a very large issue, and places like high school and college can lead to these deaths because of stress, school and family pressure, and many other factors. The problem is that students dont talk to adults, but we talk to kids our age. I believe this is an amazing idea in hopes to deceasing the rate of suicide amongst kids.

Addicts Helping Addicts: Opioid Recovery Care Pilot Program To Expand After Dramatic Drop In Overdoses (link)

Project Save Lives is a program that helps those suffering from opioid addiction, and gets them into recovery care ASAP. The program allows people who recovered from opioid addiction to help those who are trying to fight their addictions and stay out of the dark path that comes with heroin or oxycodone. The problem presented in this story is that people are suffering from addictions, and opioid addiction is a leading cause of death in Florida. With the help of others, this program can flourish, and the drop in overdoses can increase even more. Addicts have the problem, and Project Save Lives is here to help.

Alachua County Public Schools Seek Grant To Balance Achievement Gaps (link)

Alachua County Public Schools are asking $1.2 million in grants to help raise the county's school district grade, which is lowering faster than the counties around Alachua. Income differences in the counties compared to Alachua play into how public schools have lowering year grades. This income level is only one hurdle that the County will overcome to balance the achievement gap between Alachua and St. Johns county. The county is looking for teachers who are willing to help make relationships with students, and help them achieve more during school. The problem presented in this story is that students are not doing as well in high school in Alachua compared to the counties around us. Whether this has to do with low family incomes, or the school system here in Alachua, the county is attempting to try to fix that issue and help bring the school district here up out of the ground. The county has the problem, and they are trying to fix mistakes that were overlooked for a while. 

Marion County Oakcrest Elementary Strives To Improve State’s Failing Grade (link)

Oakcrest Elementary has received five consecutive D's on the schools annual assessments, and without a C on the next assessment, the school will face major consequences. Teachers at Oakcrest are trying to fix this solution by coming up with plans that will help students learn, and having teachers be aware of their students lives at home. The problem in this story is that a school in Ocala is struggling to  achieve good annual assessments, and the consequences would be to shut down the school or bring in an intervention. The teachers and staff at Oakcrest have the problem, and they are searching for ways to help. With the help of their own teachers, they aim to make the school a better learning environment. 

Forming An Opportunity Belief

1) I believe Starbucks should give away food wasted at the end of the day to homeless shelters.

2) The unmet need is shelters possibly not having enough food for all of its habitants, and Starbucks stores throw away so much waste at the end of the day. This need has always existed for people who are starving in shelters. Some Starbucks do send their waste to places, but at the end of the day many stores do not have the capabilities of doing so.

3) I will talk to a Barista, a Shift Manager, and the Manager of a Starbucks on campus. Starbucks on campus is a licensed store, owned by Aramark.

4)

Barista Felicia Roberts
What is the exact nature of the need? 
I am unsure.
When do they become aware of the need -- that is, do they experience their need all the time or only sometimes?
We give away food to other baristas that are going out for the night, but we do not give any to stores or shelters.
How long have they had the need?
Shelters always are in the need of donations
When did they first become aware of their need? Why?
I think once I realized how much food can go out in a day, it is important to try to give it to others who desperately need it.

Shift Manager Elizabeth Garis
What is the exact nature of the need? 
Starbucks goes through so much food a day, there should be a way to "recycle" what goes out at the end of the night.
When do they become aware of the need -- that is, do they experience their need all the time or only sometimes?
Shelters are dependent on donations most of the time.
How long have they had the need?
Always

Manager Wayne Kemp
What is the exact nature of the need? 
The nature of the need is that Shelters need donations, but Stores like Starbucks are not always permitted to give food away as donations.
How are they currently addressing their need? How satisfied are they with this solution?
Starbucks as a store tries to give the most to customers, so trying to be able to do that in all fashions would be the best possibility.

5) I learned that certain companies have no control on what they can and cant do. Even higher ups, like Kemp, cant force the system, or its incredibly hard to put the word out there. Barista's and Shift Supervisors have no control over anything on that corporate scale level, and since Kemp is only the manager of the Starbucks' on campus, he does not know how Aramark itself could handle the situation. 

7) My opportunity can still happen. Corporate Starbucks locations have been giving waste away to shelters, but it is not a wide-scale operation. My new opportunity is more accurate, because the responses from the workers at Starbucks gave me more feedback. I believe entrepreneurs can fully adapt their opportunities based on others beliefs.

Your Entrepreneurship Story

I don't have too much experience with entrepreneurship, but my parents would always try getting me to read books about entrepreneurs are starting up my own company. I am excited to learn more about what it takes to be an entrepreneur and how to become one! The Innovation Academy will definitely aid in my abilities to become a leader and help move the world.

If I had any experience being an entrepreneur, it would've been my Creativity in Action class over the summer for IA. We made reusable coffee K-Cups!

My Bug List

My Bug List

1. Customers who are overtly rude for no true reason.
• customers sometimes don't understand we could be understaffed or training new hires.
2. Jealousy 
• emotions are innate and natural and sometimes you cant control them.
3. Work 
• how tedious it can be.
4. Forgetting to buy something at the store
• when your mind is running a mile a minute and you cant always get yourself to stop.
5. Friends who only talk to you for certain reasons.
• we all have a lot going on and taking care of a friend isn't always first priority.
6. Being reprimanded at work for something out of my control
• my boss gets in trouble for us not doing our jobs correctly.
7. Weight loss
• stress and anxiety can lead to weight loss.
8. College pressure
• we have such high expectations on us.
9. Long drive thru lines
• some people take too long to order
10. Having to pay more for parking
• we already pay so much in tuition
11. UF parking tickets
• we pay so much already.
12.  Certain busses not running on weekends
• due to costs they probably don't run some busses on weekends
13. Rude customers to anyone in the customer service industry
• they are too close-minded to be kind to other people.
14. Politics
• too many lies
15. My parents divorce
• too many misunderstandings
16. How far i am from home
• i miss the conveniency of being at home
17. Hulu ads
• whats the point of paying for hulu then?
18. Social media
• social media gets toxic
19. Catcalling
• men are insecure
20. No rounding up in final class grades
• rules are rules

After i wrote my bug list, i realized a lot about myself. Finding things that "bugged" me was difficult, and finding the root of the problem was even more difficult.

Hey! Im Chloe. Welcome to my blog :)