Rep. Ouimet offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 301.   

            A resolution to encourage Michigan schools to offer entrepreneurial education as part of the K-12 curriculum.

            Whereas, Entrepreneurs drive America's economy, accounting for the majority of our nation's innovations and new job creation. Talent and an entrepreneurial spirit have emerged in the last decade as the leading contributors to economic growth; and

            Whereas, Our educational system should inspire students to create, and not simply respond to, economic opportunities. Almost 70% of teenagers polled by Junior Achievement in 2005 wanted to become entrepreneurs, although youth receive very little information about entrepreneurship as a career option; and

            Whereas, Entrepreneurial education should be an integral part of the offerings of Michigan's K-12 education institutions. All schools should offer enriching and innovative programs that allow students to have hands-on, project-based, multidisciplinary experiences infused with creativity and innovation that help build the foundation they will need to start a business in Michigan. Entrepreneurial education connects the classroom to the workplace in student-centered, experiential learning, and may be a factor in encouraging students to stay in school, reducing youth unemployment and crime; and

            Whereas, Entrepreneurial education provides students with the knowledge, skills and motivation to succeed in a variety of settings. Through entrepreneurial education, students can take risks, manage the results, and learn from the outcomes while developing organizational, time management, leadership, interpersonal, problem solving, and critical thinking skills which are highly transferable to any workplace; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we encourage Michigan schools to offer entrepreneurial education as part of the K-12 curriculum; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Michigan Association of School Boards, and the Michigan Association of School Administrators.