Telesis Community Credit Union Sponsors Jaycee Event to Raise Awareness for Hands-on Business Education in Santa Clarita

Telesis, Jaycees, and Salt Creek Host Kick-off Fundraiser for Student Enterprise Partners.

Santa Clarita, CA (PRWEB) September 4, 2004 -- The S.C.V. Chapter of the Jr. Chamber of Commerce ("Jaycees") announced today that it successfully kicked off the formation of the Student Enterprise Partners by hosting a wine tasting fundraiser at Salt Creek Grille on August 24th, 2004, sponsored by Telesis Community Credit Union. The goal of the event was to announce the formation of, and raise funds for, the recently established non-profit organization known as the Student Enterprise Partners ("SEP"). The mission of SEP is to provide management resources for existing and future student-run businesses, which have been formed and are operating in the Santa Clarita Valley at Bowman, Canyon, and Saugus High Schools.

The Jaycees hosted the event in conjunction with Salt Creek Grille, Telesis, and SEP to promote their involvement in the implementation and growth of the "business applications" programs in the Santa Clarita Valley. The "business applications" programs at Bowman, Canyon, and Saugus High Schools involve students in the startup, operation, and growth of legitimate businesses, wherein each student (all stuendents), depending on the grade they earn in the class, participates in their respective businesses profits, in the form of college scholarships. The Jaycees have been involved since the initial implementation of the programs in Santa Clarita, in the fall of 2003, and have worked hands-on with administrators, teachers, and students with the formation of three profitable student-owned and operated businesses.

According to Alan Lewis, President of SEP and Executive Vice President of the Jaycees, who led the implementation of the program in Santa Clarita with the help of the Jaycees, School and Business Alliance, Wm. S. Hart District, and countless other individuals and organizations in and outside the Valley, "when we first set out to implement a hands-on business education program here in Santa Clarita, I was led to the Jaycees, who through the dedicated efforts of the chapter boards and members, helped successfully to establish a valuable program that is now in its third year."

Mr. Lewis continued by stating, "When we realized that the business applications programs were viable and needed a dedicated team of professionals to support and grow it throughout the valley, the group that came together consisted primarily of Jaycees, who formed SEP. SEP's founders include past and present Jaycees, including Craig Eichman, the chapter's current President; Lisa Eichman, the chapter's Treasurer and VP of Community Development, Michele Mann and Steve Mehta of the Law Offices of Mehta and Mann, who are former Jaycees, and myself. Without the support of these outstanding individuals, the Jaycees, Telesis, and countless others, we would not be where we are today with the program."

Craig Eichman, the current President of the S.C.V. Jaycees and Executive Vice President of SEP added, "The fundraiser was a natural step in promoting the formation of SEP, and the Jaycees didn't hesitate to put their full support behind it. The chapter's board of directors not only hosted our kick-off event, but they also donated $1,000 to SEP. In addition, through the efforts of Jenny Ketchepaw, a member of the chapter's board and the Valencia small business representative for Telesis Community Credit Union, Telesis also donated $1,000 to SEP. Jenny has been a consultant to the classes from the first year on, and John Schafer is a big supporter of financial literacy education. The Jaycees and Telesis have shown their dedication to business education through their generous contributions, and we look forward to working with them on growing the program in perpetuity."

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