NextStep Business
May 21 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Free
NextStep Business: Small Business Education Program for Middle Schoolers
Thursday evenings, 5:00 – 6:00 pm
May 21 – May 28, 2026
Upstairs in Shields Hall
Cost: Tickets are free and may be reserved below.
NextStep is a small business education program created and taught by two local high school students. The program aims to introduce younger students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and leadership in an approachable, engaging, and interactive way.
NextStep was created after noticing that many students, like ourselves, are interested in business at a young age but don’t have the opportunity to learn these skills. Throughout the four-week program, students build their own business ideas step-by-step, learning how to develop a product, set pricing, understand profit, and create marketing strategies. Each lesson builds on the previous one, creating a cohesive experience where students see their ideas truly come to life.
The program focuses on collaboration, creativity, and confidence-building, allowing students to work together while also developing and presenting their own ideas. By the end of the program, students will have built a complete business concept they can take pride in.
The final session features a “Shark Tank”-style pitch, where students present their ideas and make investment decisions, bringing together everything they’ve learned in a fun and engaging way.
Bios:
Hunter Sucato and Danny Tiktin are students at Ridgefield High School with a shared interest in business, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Both are involved in business-related activities at school, including DECA and business classes, where they gain experience in areas such as operations, marketing, and strategy. They co-created NextStep to give younger students the opportunity to learn real-world business skills before entering high school. They hope to continue pursuing business and entrepreneurship in the future through higher education and their careers.
Danny is involved in many business classes, exploring leadership, entrepreneurship, and international business. Hunter plays an active role as a School Store Manager and will compete internationally representing the RHS School Store.
