The GOAT 23 Fellowship Program
In 2017, thanks to seed funding from the Battery Foundation, SFUSD’s College and Career Readiness Department launched a groundbreaking Career Pathways program for students to deeply explore entrepreneurship.
While more than 3,500 high school students were already participating in robust career pathways programs and receiving real-world exposure to high-demand careers, SFUSD’s programs were not always reaching some of its most vulnerable students - those who are newcomers and English Learners who sometimes do not have the documentation to access paid internships.
The GOAT 23 program (GOAT stands for “Greatest of All Time”), created an opportunity for first-generation and immigrant students to participate in a paid six-month fellowship that would help them build a path toward future employment and career goals, while also receiving extra support to facilitate their English language development. Fast forward four years and the program has already reached nearly 100 high school students representing more than a dozen countries and home languages.
Through an intensive afterschool business bootcamp, skill-building workshops, professional mentorship, and summer internships, students leave the program with the skills to think and act entrepreneurially. Students gather data, prototype their ideas, test, iterate, develop business plans, and practice their pitches in front of an audience at Pitch Night.
From temperature-controlled baby bottles to eco-friendly skateboards, a prescription medicine delivery service, and so much more, students have impressed audiences with their start-up endeavors.
At the 2021 Bay Area Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) teen entrepreneurship competition, one GOAT 23 student, Dina Wu, placed second overall for her Weeding Bot idea (a robot that does your landscaping), which qualified her for the national competition and a chance to win the $15,000 grand prize.
“I challenged myself to take initiative and ask questions whenever I encountered problems when bettering my product. That was out of my comfort zone but it was all worth it because my final business pitch reached beyond my expectations.”
Throughout the program, students are empowered to think of themselves not only as entrepreneurs, but as innovators, creators, leaders, and decision-makers. That’s what makes the GOAT 23 program so important.
Despite a thriving economy in San Francisco, the reality is that many low-income residents, newcomers, and residents of color continue to face daunting education, earning and wealth gaps.
Look no further than the GOAT fellows themselves, who have experienced challenging circumstances, including trauma from their home country, living in transitional housing, and living in poverty. This program is often a life-changing experience by which students achieve greater access to opportunities.
“I hope students are able to utilize the skills that the program provides in a way that makes them stand out as entrepreneurs. And regardless of whether they go into business, I know they’re walking away with an entrepreneurial mindset that really sets them apart as an asset to our city.”
Each year, as more students and educators learn about the program and spread the word to their peers, the program continues to grow. Even during the pandemic when the program shifted to a virtual format, a record number of students applied for one of the 29 fellowship spots available. The program’s popularity has extended its reach beyond San Francisco as well. During the 2020-2021 school year, SFUSD staff led a workshop with Immigrants Rising that had a nationwide audience of more than 200 guests who wanted to learn more about SFUSD’s best practices and program model, in hopes of launching a version of the program in their own locales.
“If you want to materialize your dreams and challenge yourself, don’t hesitate to join us,” said Wu, inviting students to participate in the program.
With support from Spark* donors, SFUSD hopes to serve more students and incorporate a second year of the program where students will have the opportunity to take on a more advanced curriculum, continue working on their business proposal or start a new idea, pursue licensure or certification that will help them advance their businesses, and compete for a higher prize at the NFTE competition.
