Analyzing data and discussing market research on a Tuesday afternoon. It is not your everyday school work, but then again, the project a group of high school students are working on isn't either.
"Right now we're just doing basic research about our business. My business is about payday loans," Ferrell Swann, a senior at Patterson High School, said.
Swann is the president of the Investment Club at PHS. He has been involved for all four years. This year they're putting even more heads together to reach their goal.
"This year we've decided to team up with Howard County so we can make a business plan and make business for Baltimore City," he said.
"It's a really unique situation. Maybe one of the rarer things found within the county actually," Jonathan Bradley, CEO of Cristata Cares, told ABC2.
The students have come together in groups to come up with six different business ideas. The ideas range from a payday loan company to a tutoring center.
Howard county students were moved to join forces after seeing last spring's unrest.
"We really just wanted to bring the community together especially target the students, because we saw that it really affected them and just the safety of the area in general and just wanting to find a place where they could feel safe and still continue learning and fulfilling their education as well," Ramya Vemuri, a senior, said.
"It's just been a really great partnership and opportunity for us to learn a lot more about Baltimore City and for them to learn more about us as well," Brooke Rankin, also a senior, added.
Although the students are picking up skills here that will last a lifetime, the goal is that these ideas will have a lasting impact in the city.
"If it is a plan that really is feasible, we could hope it could be like a mini Shark Tank and that someone would pick up and follow with it and that kids would be able to be part of the planning process. Mary Ann Hewitt, Executive Director of the Maryland Council on Economic Education, said.
The students will present their business plans during the Blue Oceans Entrepreneurship Competition in April.
