A Student Entrepreneur in the Making: Mikayla’s “Goal Getter” Project

At Hillsboro Elementary, fourth grader Mikayla is already showing the creativity and initiative that Fleming County Schools hopes to nurture in every learner. For her Shark Tank-style project, she introduced the Goal Getter, a product she designed to help young athletes keep improving even when practice gets canceled.

Mikayla’s idea grew from her love of soccer. “I love soccer. Like, I really love it. I want to be the best I can be. And I know the only way to get better is to practice,” she explained. But weather conditions, muddy fields, and scheduling issues often interrupted her training. Instead of waiting for the next practice, Mikayla asked herself a question that changed everything: What if I could still practice even if practice is canceled?

A Simple, Practical, and Creative Solution

Her solution was both imaginative and easy to use. She created a small jar filled with slips of paper, each one containing a different soccer challenge. “It is just a jar full of soccer challenges,” she told the judges. “That is it. You take the cap off of the jar, you pull out a piece of paper, and boom, you have a challenge.”

From juggling a ball ten times without letting it touch the ground to sprint-dribbling as fast as possible, the Goal Getter jar makes training accessible, fun, and unpredictable. The design works because of its simplicity. No gym, special equipment, or perfect weather required. All that is needed is a soccer ball, some space, and a desire to improve.

Vibrant Learning in Action

Mikayla’s project showcases Fleming County’s Vibrant Learning vision. It is hands-on, problem-based, and grounded in something she cares about. By creating the Goal Getter, she applied her skills to a real-world situation. This is aligned with the Measures of Quality framework, which highlights tasks that build durable skills including problem-solving, creativity, communication, and adaptability.

Her project embodies the Vibrant Learning cornerstone “Real-World Application of Skill Mastery” clearly in the way she moved from idea to final product. She identified a challenge, designed a solution, explained how it worked, and presented it to an audience. Each part of the process strengthened her confidence and allowed her to demonstrate skills she will use in the future.

From Scores to Stories

Fleming County’s moonshot accountability work calls for expanding the way student success is understood. Mikayla’s project is one of those stories that shows authentic growth. It represents voice, choice, and meaningful learning.

Her story reflects the shift toward community-driven accountability that values the experiences students create. The Goal Getter jar is more than an assignment. It is a visible record of how a student can take an idea, shape it into something useful, and confidently share it with others.

Advancing the Vibrant Ecosystem

The Goal Getter project supports the Vibrant Ecosystem framework in several important ways.

• Authentic Learning: Mikayla used her passion for soccer to create something valuable.

• Student Voice and Choice: She chose the problem, the design, and the pitch.

• Durable Skills: She practiced creativity, problem-solving, and communication.

• Community Connection: Mikayla even imagined selling her product at Walmart, Target, or Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Her work aligns with the Learner of Distinction Profile. It reflects Innovation, effective Communication, and strong Problem-Solving skills. More importantly, it shows how students learn better when their projects connect to real parts of their lives.

Ready for Life, Today

For Mikayla, this project began with soccer. The deeper message is about resilience and creativity. When faced with canceled practices, she did not give up. She created a new way to grow.

This mindset reflects Fleming County’s vision for students who are ready for life. The Goal Getter jar may have started as a simple idea, but it carries the spirit of entrepreneurship, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.

As Mikayla said best, “Pull out a piece of paper and power your play.”