Holly Arida is an entrepreneur turned Cranbrook teacher, and now, a Director of a non-profit that is a talent pipeline for Detroit youth. Holly looks back at her 20 year storied career here at Cranbrook and her many partnerships at the school that led to exciting learning opportunities for teachers and students.

We will also hear from Jace Danielewicz CK'22 and Victor Berger CK'22, two co-founders of YouthTank Detroit, the social enterprise launched by Holly with students in her entrepreneurship classes to provide alternate career pathways for high school students in the city.

YouthTank is a startup incubator for high school student-led businesses in Detroit. In their after-school and summer programs, young entrepreneurs actually test their business ideas and flex career-ready skills though action-based learning. 

Aim High is a production of Cranbrook Kingswood School and is produced by University FM.

A question to ask yourself when thinking about entrepreneurial idea 

24:11 - When thinking about the entrepreneurial idea you want to pursue, ask yourself, "What breaks your heart?" And what breaks my heart is when young people don't realize their potential. Because either, the system inequities, that goes for students with learning differences as well. A lot of different kind of inequities need an education built for them to succeed. And to have those opportunities to believe in themselves and stretch themselves. I think that's made a difference in anybody's life.

Clearing the way is a responsibility we all have. 

25:11 - Clearing the way is a responsibility we all have. Every young person, I fervently believe, deserves an education that works for them. And it's been great working with Cranbrook students to see that happen.

On doing work that brings people together

16:02 - Cranbrook was built out of the ingenuity and wealth of the city in many ways. We were wanting to draw attention to that connection. I think a lot of my work was about bringing people together that might not be together.

On the intentions of Youth Tank

29:40 [Jace ‘22] Our intention is to supply students in Detroit and kids in general with the necessary skills to be entrepreneurs. So, what is seen as the average path for people in our area is middle school, high school, then college, then get a job. And that average path doesn't work for every kid, especially every kid in Detroit.

Holly Arida, Educator & Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Combining my entrepreneurial business career with my role as an educator, I've mentored thousands of students in real-world skills and leadership. Recently, I worked alongside industrious high school students to design of our new student-led business incubator: YouthTank.  

Our social enterprise operates at the nexus of community, business, innovation and education. We are grateful for the warm welcome we received in the city of Detroit. YouthTank is proud to partner with people and organizations who share our belief that the next generation are ready create, lead, and contribute to society, NOW. I am happiest when I am working with kids in my hometown of Detroit.  

Jace Danielewicz

Jace graduated from Cranbrook in 2022. He is currently at the College of Creative Studies, studying transportation design.

Victor Berger

Victor graduated from Cranbrook in 2022. He is a Business Major at the Miami University of Ohio. 

Working in a family business can be challenging. But when both your parents are entrepreneurs, its kind of inevitable. Jason Eddleston, business runs through the family. 

Jason was a state championship lacrosse player and Cranbrook lifer, and he is now the VP of Operations at the company his parents started in the 1970s Sterling Oil. He is also the current owner of Ray's Ice Cream in Royal Oak, Michigan, a staple in the community since 1958.

With host Robert Li, Jason talks about balancing work & life in a family business, how he got into world of ice cream, and how he manages these two very different companies. 

Aim High is a production of Cranbrook Kingswood School and is produced by University FM.

19:13 - What I've learned a lot about Ray's business is that people, especially non-perishable vendors, are taking advantage of the business. And I wanted to bring my own team of people that I could depend upon. And would realize that this is a community-based business, and if you're working with us as a vendor, a contractor, or a supplier, then you need to understand that we're here for the community.

What keeps Jason going

16:57 - I enjoy the amount of knowledge that I consistently absorb on a day-to-day basis that helps me in running my businesses and helps me make the proper decisions to make sure those businesses are being run accordingly.

Taking lessons from Jason family’s business

29:04 - I realized that when you run a company, you have to work based upon the skills and strengths, and weaknesses of your employees or the other individuals in the organization on the same level. And going about trying to change how people work and do business sometimes can be very counterproductive to the whole. To this day, we work very well together, but we still don't always agree.

How do you know if you’re winning in business

18:08 - When it comes to the business world, winning is very subjective, but I feel like when you're taking something and expanding upon it and you're getting a lot of positive feedback from employees and from customers in the community, then I think you realize that you are winning and you are doing something very successful.

• Jason Eddleston on LinkedIn
• Sterling Oil
• Ray's Ice Cream

Debbie Calfin recently retired after spending 37 years teaching a range of grades at Cranbrook Brookside, with most of them spent teaching 2nd grade. 

Host Qadir Muhammad sits down with Debbie as she reflects on her career and time at Cranbrook: teaching elementary school through COVID, cultivating a classroom environment that stimulates growth, Grandparent’s Day, and shares some advice for the next generation of teachers. 

Aim High is a production of Cranbrook Kingswood School and is produced by University FM.

EPISODE QUOTES:

Demonstrating passion in teaching

11:47 - I think that I, as a teacher, had to demonstrate my passion for whatever we were doing. My investment in it, I had to be interested in it, whatever it would be, and bring them into it as well. And the other piece for my classrooms is always is the ability to know that they don't have to know everything right away.

The impact of teaching to the children

17:34 - Teaching may look easy, but it's not. But it's the best job you could have. To be able to spend time with children knowing that you are making a difference in their lives is huge.

One of the magical things about Cranbrook Brookside

27:07 - One of the other things that I love about Cranbrook Brookside is the yearly chapels and the plays that each grade level puts on. Because I've seen it myself where children that are very shy and not really confident start in the first grade, and by the fifth grade, they're often one of the leads of the play. And it carries over to their confidence in front of a group, you know, working collaboratively to put on the production doing the music. The fine arts teachers, especially the music and drama teachers, were just extraordinary in that way.