Program Overview

One Hen empowers students to become social entrepreneurs who make a difference for themselves and the world.

One Hen is Boston Scores’ flagship service-learning program based on the award-winning children’s book One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway. Students begin by learning the story of a young Ghanaian boy Kojo, who makes a big difference by buying one hen, which in turn lays eggs, which he sells to buy more hens, until he eventually becomes the largest chicken farmer in all of Ghana.

One Hen provides educators with resources to teach financial literacy, personal initiative, global awareness, and the value of giving back. Through a series of interactive lesson plans, an award winning children’s book One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference, and a website of games and activities, One Hen challenges students (grades K-12) to start their own small businesses and give proceeds to community needs or causes. In the process, teams of young entrepreneurs become equipped with the necessary skills in business math, personal finance, and social entrepreneurship.

Our Eight-Step Curriculum

One Hen students engage in an eight-step curriculum; sharing the experience of starting their own small business and giving back to their local and global communities.

Although One Hen is ideal for 4th through 8th grade students in traditional classroom, homeschool, and after-school settings, it can be easily customized to fit the specific needs of all students from kindergarten through high school. The experiential curriculum helps meet ELA, Social Sciences, and STEM standards while helping students develop 21st Century Skills.