Building on strong momentum from the Fall Term, the first cohort of EntreX students continues to develop and refine student-led ventures addressing real-world challenges—from financial literacy and education savings to tools that support better decision-making and long-term planning. Through customer discovery, feedback sessions with working professionals, and early prototyping and solution interviews, students are learning to test assumptions, articulate value propositions, and adapt their ideas based on real market input rather than theory alone. The emphasis remains less on “having the right idea” from the start and more on cultivating the skills, mindset, and habits of thoughtful, committed entrepreneurs.

We are deeply grateful for our ongoing partnership with Union + Co. in downtown Bath, where EntreX students recently returned for another engaging evening with members of the local entrepreneurial community. At Union + Co.’s annual Holiday Party, students practiced professional networking with familiar mentors, shared brief Hyde introductions, and built confidence stepping into adult professional spaces. Mr. Bridges, Mrs. Lobozzo, and Mr. Truluck witnessed students’ courage and poise as they addressed a large crowd of local leaders and innovators. A special shout-out goes to Brady Kruep for delivering a clear and compelling explanation of Hyde’s character education model and its connection to EntreX. We are proud of how Alex, Cocoe, Nathanael, Sawyer, David, Petra, Brady, and Abigail represented Hyde School to the wider Midcoast Maine community. Thank you to Union + Co. for consistently welcoming our students—including during the holiday season—and for supporting authentic, experiential learning opportunities throughout the year.

On Wednesday, the 14th, Hyde’s EntreX students traveled to the Roux Institute at Northeastern University to participate in an IdeaJam alongside peers from Deering High School. The morning emphasized creative problem-solving, teamwork, and clear communication under time constraints. Working in mixed-school teams, students developed, tested, and iterated on solutions to the prompt: “How might we empower students without family safety nets to build the financial literacy, professional skills, and self-advocacy tools they need to thrive?” Each Hyde-led team delivered a thoughtful and compelling pitch. Jack and Raya’s team earned top honors for their proposed Boston-based Boys & Girls Club partnership, WealthWorks, while Brady and Lila’s app-based lifelong financial wellness solution, AdultLaunch, finished a close second—both impressive showings in a highly collaborative environment. As one Roux Institute education program coordinator noted, Hyde students were a high-caliber group who clearly brought energy and focus to the day.

In the afternoon, EntreX venture teams met with Roux Institute graduate students and staff who regularly work with startup founders from across Maine. Students rotated through multiple rounds of pitching, receiving candid, professional-level feedback and refining their ideas in real time. This experience was intentionally scaffolded as part of EntreX’s growing mentorship model, which blends individual coaching with high-pressure, professional feedback environments. Just one day prior to the Portland trip, Nathanael, Petra, and Sofi participated in a one-on-one Zoom mentorship session with Scott Jancy, a DC-based founder of the career-readiness company Cgility, where they practiced their ClarityPath pitch and received targeted guidance on problem framing, customer needs, and narrative clarity. That focused mentorship set the stage for the broader, faster-paced feedback Petra and Sofi fielded at the Roux Institute.

On the ride back to campus, Abigail and Alex reflected on how meaningful it was to be both challenged and affirmed in an authentic entrepreneurial setting. Together, these experiences pushed students to think on their feet, sharpen their messaging, and incorporate concrete feedback—an exciting step forward in translating classroom learning into real-world entrepreneurial practice. As the year continues, students will take on the demanding work of turning concepts into tangible products while stress-testing their venture narratives with diverse audiences. These Hyde students are actively putting their leadership and character education into practice.