For the past decade, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, also known as LEAP, has been hosting a business pitch competition called the Hatching.
Since its beginnings, more than 600 people have applied to pitch their early-stage ideas, and more than 90 winners gone on to grow their businesses in the Lansing region. The program ended with a final event this month.
This final competition’s grand prize winner was AnnaMaria Horn who won $2,500 for her idea, Hope Central Urban Arts.
WKAR's Megan Schellong spoke with Horn to discuss the before and after school program that teaches performing and technical arts to students.
Interview Highlights
On who inspired her to form Hope Central Urban Arts
The inspiration behind Hope Central is my eldest daughter. The year that she was entering pre-K into one of the local school districts was the year that they cancelled the performing arts classes and PE, so that meant she wouldn't have music or art. And I was terrified because music and performance is my life. And so, instead of just complaining, I decided to do something about it. And so, we started off, I started off volunteering, offering classes to the students at the school, so that they could have arts education.
On some of the struggles Hope Central Urban Arts faces
In the near future, we would like to have mobile units that go into places and spaces that are fun and common to children and families, like ballparks and games, to the fair, the mall. And we would set up our mobile units so that students can be serviced and have access to the treatment and to the other resources that we provide.
On the future of Hope Central Urban Arts
In the near future, we would like to have mobile units that go into places and spaces that are fun and common to children and families, like ballparks and games, to the fair, the mall, and we would set up our mobile units so that students can be serviced and have access to the treatment and to the other resources.
Interview Transcript
Megan Schellong: For the past decade, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, also known as LEAP, has been hosting a business pitch competition called the Hatching.
Since its beginnings, more than 600 people have applied to pitch their early-stage ideas, and more than 90 winners have grown their businesses in the Lansing region. The program ended with a final event this month.
This year’s final competition’s grand prize winner is AnnaMaria Horn who won $2,500 for her idea, Hope Central Urban Arts.
She joins me now to discuss the before and after school program that teaches performing and technical arts to students.
AnnaMaria, thanks for being here.
AnnaMaria Horn: Thank you for having me, Megan.
Schellong: Well, tell us how you got this idea and the inspiration.
Horn: The inspiration behind Hope Central is my eldest daughter. The year that she was entering pre-K into one of the local school districts was the year that they cancelled the performing arts classes and PE, so that meant she wouldn't have music or art. And I was terrified because music and performance is my life. And so, instead of just complaining, I decided to do something about it.
And so, we started off, I started off volunteering, offering classes to the students at the school, so that they could have arts education because there's so many scientific studies that show the benefits of having arts education and what it does to reading and to social skills, to math, versus students who don't have it, they test differently.
They learn differently when they don't. So, the benefits of having it was definitely important. And I didn't want to just have it for my kid, but to make it available to other students.
Schellong: Tell me what were some of the struggles you ran into along the way in forming Hope Central Urban Arts?
Horn: Well, I would say the first struggle was that, you know, for families that live in the Lansing, the urban area, you know, we didn't have the options of you know, moving our kids to another school or paying for arts classes. So, this was a resource.
And initially, we started off, you know, offering the classes for free. But that didn't, that wasn't sustainable for our organization. And so, I would say the biggest struggle still today is that there is a huge need for students to be in the program, but parents aren't able to afford it.
And we are extremely discounted. We come in a lot less than just about all of the programs who are offered, that are offered in the area. And it's still a hardship for a lot of families, especially, you know, if there's multiple kids in the family. And so just wanting to and desiring to make it available to as many people, as many kids as possible is my heart.
Schellong: What are you going to do with the money which you kind of said was, allow that funding to go toward helping these families?
Horn: Yes. So, in addition to providing before and after school programs, I'm certified to use musical treatments to work with kids with ADD and ADHD. So specifically, I am going to use some of the funds to be able to purchase some more kits and equipment, so that I can service more children at one time. And so it's still all within that music, performing arts vein.
It is using, you know, music and sound and rhythm and timing, so that students don't have to become medically dependent at such an early age, and so we've seen such tremendous results and how it actually works and ... kids are making strides in the classrooms. And so even that is not a well-known option for families that have children with ADD or ADHD.
Schellong: You're talking about the kids who are making strides in the classroom. What does the future look like for Hope Central Urban Arts?
Horn: In the near future, we would like to have mobile units that go into places and spaces that are fun and common to children and families, like ballparks and games, to the fair, the mall.
And we would set up our mobile units so that students can be serviced and have access to the treatment and to the other resources that we provide.
Schellong: And AnnaMaria, how does it feel to be the final winner of this decade-old business pitching competition?
Horn: Megan, I made it. (laughs) I could tell you that it has been, I've attempted a few times. And I didn't make it before.
Schellong: What message do you want to send to other entrepreneurs?
Horn: I would say, move beyond just good intention and good idea. Do the hard work. Take the time to write things down. Get the numbers. Do your projections. All the stuff that we don't like to do, but we have to do so that we can have sustainable businesses in the Lansing area.
Schellong: AnnaMaria Horn is the founder of Hope Central Urban Arts.
Thanks for being here.
Horn: Thank you.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.