Middle school students from the Erie School District took part in the fifth annual Icehouse event.

Students from Woodrow Wilson, Strong Vincent and East Middle Schools were learning about being an entrepreneur.

The Icehouse Program launched as a partnership with United Way of Erie County, the Innovation Collaborative and Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit 5.

It began for seventh graders in October of 2017. One group of girls from Strong Vincent created an app called ‘Coast Clear’ to help clean litter off of Presque Isle State Park.

The supervisor of Secondary ELA and SS told us that these students have to go through very specific steps to complete the process.

“To identify the problem, to brainstorm ways of solving the problem, to research the problem, to get outside input from people who are affected by this problem. To examine roadblocks and then finally come to a solution,” said Nora Dolak, supervisor of secondary ELA & SS.

“Since you’re really young you can have more and more lessons even when you go to college. So, it’s really important to know so you can do the best you can,” said Isabella Poff, a seventh-grade student from Strong Vincent.

Dolak said she cannot think of a better way to prepare students for anything that’s going to happen in their future.