Students in the BM-451 Entrepreneurship course taught by John Buzza ’71, senior specialist professor in the Leon Hess Business School, are developing a series of children’s books designed to inspire young readers to overcome physical and mental challenges. Their series, HOPE Books, is a trilogy with each story featuring a unique character and obstacle to overcome.
“The inspiration for this project is simply about helping those less fortunate than us, especially children, that are having either emotional, physical, or mental issues in their lives. Our vision is to inspire, to never lose hope, and to always know that faith and perseverance will get you through,” explained Buzza. “Our books, totally created by the students in our class, reflect that vision. I am so proud of how our class embraced this project and to see it come to fruition is nothing short of sensational.”
The BM-451 course builds the practical skills and knowledge needed to create and manage an entrepreneurial venture; specifically, the course develops students’ capabilities to create a novel business concept, research venture feasibility, and finance entrepreneurial ventures, and provides them with practical experience regarding the process of a formal launch of a venture.
Driven by the idea that “each and every child deserves to see themselves within each page they read,” students in Buzza’s fall course began working on HOPE Books, whose mission is to “help other people excel beyond the pages.” The juniors and seniors divided into groups with specific roles, including writing, marketing, publishing, sales, social media, and more. To fund their venture, the students raised over $2,500 selling popcorn.
“Terp the Turtle,” the first book in the HOPE series, features a sea turtle named Terp who loves the ocean but is scared to ride the big waves. His story of self-belief will touch on themes of courage, community, and bravery. The series’ second book, “Benny, Penny, & The Raincloud,” explores themes of anxiety through Benny, who is being followed by a dark cloud. With the help of friendship, communication, and kindness, Benny learns to overcome his anxiety.
The final book, “Michael’s Magic Journey,” follows Michael, a young boy with a prosthetic leg who visits a wizard doctor who helps him gain confidence. With this boost of positive self-esteem, Michael learns to help his friends overcome difficult situations.
All three books are available to order on the HOPE Books website. All proceeds will benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation.