PIE Welcomes Dewey’s Pizza In Launching Authentic Career Content
PIE and Dewey’s Pizza Launch Mentoring Case for Local Students Teaching Accounting, Entrepreneurship and Finance
CINCINNATI – (May 19, 2016) Partnership For Innovation in Education (PIE) and Cincinnati-based restaurant chain, Dewey’s Pizza, have teamed up to develop a 21st century K12 entrepreneurship and mentoring program with Cincinnati Public School students. The initiative allows students to solve an “authentic” business challenge using problem-solving and analytical skills, just like a Chief Executive. The Dewey’s Pizza challenge features skill sets from accounting, finance and management career pathways.
Dewey’s Pizza CEO, Andrew DeWitt, and Chief Operating Officer, Chuck Lipp, will work with local students to solve the real-life challenge of evaluating a strategic initiative spearheaded in Dewey’s Pizza’s 22 restaurants across five states. “We are excited to be working with PIE to help develop the next generation of innovators in marketing, finance and technology. Through PIE, we are showing kids the relevance of their classroom education and how hard work boosts career success. We look forward to hearing their ideas as well as sharing our experiences of building a successful restaurant company and how we hope to grow and expand our business in the future,” said DeWitt.
PIE developed the case with Dr. David Rosenthal, retired professor of marketing at Miami University Farmer School of Business, who has served as both president of the North American Case Research Association and editor of the Case Research Journal. “This case is a great opportunity for students to better understand the skills needed to create, maintain and scale a business across the United States. The kids are experiencing strategic thinking, problem-solving and decision analysis – all in the sixth grade! As an added bonus, our evaluation team has embedded life and leadership skills like persistence, resilience and grit into the case,” said Mary Welsh Schlueter, PIE CEO.
Cincinnati educators and PIE will present the case this summer during the “Create Something Great” conference on innovation and experiential learning in Denver from June 6-10. Teachers and superintendents from all Colorado school districts as well as representatives from leading companies and universities from across the U.S. will be on-site during the conference to learn about the newest tools in K12 classrooms.
PIE will also feature the Dewey’s case during its new eight-week summer program with Breakthrough Cincinnati, a tuition-free academic enrichment program for highly motivated middle school students from underserved and/or underrepresented communities.
About PIE
Partnership For Innovation In Education (PIE) develops transformational educational tools preparing the 21st century workforce for success in the global marketplace. PIE features first-ever career simulation and mentoring alliances with business, education and arts organizations, providing hands-on learning in the K-16 classroom. PIE is a 501c3 nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, awarded the GuideStar Nonprofit “Gold Exchange” Ranking and is an Ohio School District Partner. For more information, visit www.piemedia.org or follow @PIE_Innovation on Twitter.
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