Project Overview

Empowering students to imagine, plan, and pitch their own side hustle — right from the classroom.

WHAT IS THE SUMMER SIDE HUSTLE CHALLENGE?
The Summer Side Hustle Entrepreneurship Challenge is a hands-on, classroom-ready competition that introduces students to the world of small business creation. Students step into the shoes of an entrepreneur and build their own summer business idea — a side hustle they could realistically run outside of school.

Developed to help students build financial and business literacy, this challenge encourages creativity, adaptability, and real-world problem solving.

Originally launched at Red River College Polytech with support from the Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba, the challenge is now available for any educator looking to run it in their classroom or community.

HOW TO USE THIS IN YOUR CLASSROOM
This program is easy to implement with ready-made resources. You can run it as a full competition or as a classroom learning activity.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Introduce the Challenge
– Watch the Intro Video
– Download the Intro PPT Presentation 

2. Use the Business Plan Template
– Download the Excel Business Plan Template
– Watch the Business Plan Walkthrough Video

3. Run the Update Events
The challenge includes five “Breaking News” update events that simulate real-world economic or social changes. Each update will affect the short-term performance of students’ businesses — and some may have lasting consequences that carry through the rest of the challenge.

Important: Updates should be introduced in a linear sequence, one at a time. Students should review and respond to Update 1 before Update 2 is revealed, and so on. This creates a more realistic and engaging progression, encouraging students to adapt and adjust their plans just like real entrepreneurs.

– Update Events Overview Video
– Update 1
– Update 2
– Update 3
– Update 4
– Update 5

4. Evaluate Submissions (Optional)
If you want to run a formal judging process, use this resource:
– Judging Rubric (Excel)

5. Showcase Student Work
Encourage presentations, gallery walks, or mini pitch events. Draw inspiration from past student submissions:
– Example Submissions

DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
– Overview Document (PDF)
– Intro Presentation (PPT)
– Business Plan Template (Excel)
– Judging Rubric (Excel)
– Example Student Submissions (Folder)

All files are free to use and can be downloaded or saved for classroom use. Please contact us if you need alternate formats or a French version.

INTERESTED IN ORGANIZING A LARGER COMPETITION?
If you’re looking to scale this challenge across your school or region, CFEE is happy to help. We can share ideas, support logistics, and offer additional guidance based on our experience running the first event.

Contact: cizatt@cfee.org