LIMA — The Allen County business owners of tomorrow have decided not to wait until tomorrow.
Orientation for the first session of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy was held Monday at the University of Northwestern Ohio campus, and students appeared eager to get started.
The YEA is an innovative program that transforms local middle and high school students into real entrepreneurial successes. Students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, pitch their plans to a panel of investors, and actually launch and run their own real, legal, fully formed companies and social movements.
AT&T Director of External Affairs Chris Wyche was at the campus during the orientation and said that AT&T is a proud sponsor of the program. In fact, Wyche handed over a check for $6,500 to help fund the program.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce for this project,” Wych said. “It not only teaches children how to go out and find a job. It teaches them to go out and create jobs. We want to help generate more interests in encouraging kids to strengthen their community with business initiatives.”
Students will spend every Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. for the next 30 weeks at the UNOH campus. With help from instructors, they will develop a business from the ground up. The students will also take field trips to local businesses to learn.
“It is exciting for the students because they get to actually create a real business,” said Kathy Keller, one of three instructors who will be teaching the program.
Keller added that students will also compete against one another, much like the popular show “Shark Tank,” for prize money to use as operating capital for their businesses.
State Rep. Bob Cupp spoke briefly to the 17 students Monday. Cupp said he is a big supporter of the program.
“I not only encourage the children,” Cupp said, “but I also encourage the parents to be involved and help the children be successful.”
Founded in 2004 at the University of Rochester with support from the Kauffman Foundation, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy today serves thousands of students across America. Several students have developed successful businesses through the program nationwide. Students were selected from Allen County school districts through recommendations from school officials. Lima/Allen County Chamber president Jed Metzger said he hopes it is just the first of many academies.
“We are teaching young people to help make the economy grow,” Metzger said. “We are hoping that the academy will be a recurring event every year.”
Students in grades six to 12 are eligible for the program.
Eleven-year-old Noah Brown of Allen East said he hadn’t decided on a business yet, but said, “I would like to invent something.”
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
