Street Savvy to Business Smarts
Students from South Florida's Low Income Communities Aspire to Become Entrepreneurs through High School Entrepreneurship Program and Business Plan Competitions
MIAMI, FL (PRWEB) April 29, 2008 -- It's happening all over the nation, and especially in South Florida. Thanks to an organization called NFTE (the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship), thousands of youth from low-income and minority backgrounds are learning how to think and act like entrepreneurs - preparing for a future of revitalizing their communities and creating an environment of economic self-sufficiency
It started as a program for students who were at risk of failing and dropping out of school, with historically high dropout rates among minorities and low-income households. Now, in South Florida, in just two years, the NFTE effect is starting to show. Taught by 59 teachers in 84 classes across 28 public schools, more than 4,600 students from low income communities have enrolled in NFTE's entrepreneurship education program. The program provides youth with meaningful, engaging and hands-on resources and tools to improve their academic, business and life skills. And for many of these young students, they will be the first in their family to graduate from school or start their own business.
Pivotal to the success of NFTE's program is the experiential curriculum, which entails real-world skill development like wholesale buying trips, trade fairs and business plan competitions. And like the second annual Merrill Lynch/NFTE Regional Youth Business Plan Competition, which got underway this month. For six weeks, high-profile business leaders from Merrill Lynch and South Florida's business community will be focused on judging the competitions, and exceptional young student entrepreneurs who have developed original business plans and concepts; utilizing skills they've learned from the NFTE program.
The Merrill Lynch/NFTE Regional Youth Business Plan Competition is one of NFTE's most visible events during the school year, highlighting the hard work and dedication of several thousand students enrolled in 28 schools and community-based organizations who are applying an important dimension to their education - entrepreneurship - and the opportunity to take control of their destiny and future. Stakes are high for these young students; the chance to win seed money to fund their first business venture or further their education, and the chance to compete in a national business plan competition later this year, where the first prize is $10,000. It also reflects the hard work of NFTE teachers and mentors, who have helped guide students to develop their own ideas for a business. And finally, it reinforces the relevance of NFTE within Miami-Dade County schools and South Florida's business community.
NFTE's program is demonstrating that entrepreneurship education can effect systemic change on a large scale with significant impact on the lives of students, and community. It is helping South Florida's students' turn street savvy into business smarts by teaching them the business and leadership skills needed to start their own small business, while reinforcing fundamental academic skills. Ultimately, the NFTE program is giving these young people the skills and confidence to unlock their true potential, so they can improve their lives and their communities, and become economically productive members of society.
To find out more about NFTE and the Merrill Lynch/NFTE Regional Youth Business Plan Competition taking place on May 14, 2008 at Miami-Dade College's downtown Wolfson campus, or to arrange an interview with any of the participating students, please contact Vanessa Horwell at 786.206.7883 or vanessa@thinkinkpr.com, or visit www.NFTE.com. B-roll, photos, fact sheets and detailed studies on the academic and socio-economic impact of entrepreneurship education are available upon request.
FAST FACTS - Entrepreneurship Education and the NFTE Effect
| | - In a Bill Gates Foundation study examining high school dropout prevention: "4 out of 5 students (81%) said there should be more opportunities for real-world learning. They need to see the connection between school and getting a good job."
|
| | - NFTE graduates are 3 x as likely to be self employed and involved with the formation of new business ventures over the course of their lifetimes
|
| | - Participation in a program such as NFTE has been found to both increase students' career aspirations (by nearly 44%, according to the Harvard Graduate School of Education) and drive small business formation in the community (increasing it by a factor of 30 in a study by the Koch Foundation).
|
| | - A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive® finds that 4 out of 10 young people ages 8 to 21 would like to start their own business and another 37% did not close the door to entrepreneurship, saying they were just unsure about it. The survey found that 63% of respondents agree that, through hard work, they have the ability to start their own business.
|
| | - Research shows that NFTE's program has a strong and positive impact on many of its graduates. A study conducted by Harvard University Graduate School of Education indicates that youth entrepreneurship programs such as NFTE are particularly effective at keeping students from low-income urban backgrounds on the academic track and can be a significant force in driving them toward high achievement and leadership.
|
About NFTE
The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) provides entrepreneurship education programs to young people from low-income communities. Since 1987, NFTE has worked with more than 186,000 young people. NFTE currently has programs in 21 states and 14 countries outside the U.S., and has more than 1,000 active certified teachers. NFTE joined forces with KidVentures in South Florida in 2006, and is headed by Executive Director Alice Horn. More information can also be found at www.nfte.com.
About Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch was founded on the idea that the world is full of opportunity. Opening the door to that opportunity for underserved children and youth is the focus of the firm's global philanthropy. In 2007, Merrill Lynch giving totaled almost $44 million, with education receiving nearly half of that support. Around the world, Merrill Lynch programs are providing better access to educational opportunities for those who need them most, specifically in the areas of youth financial education, entrepreneurship and global citizenship.Through the dedication of our employee volunteers, free educational resources at http://philanthropy.ml.com, and financial support, we are leveling the playing field for millions of young people to compete and succeed in the global marketplace.
###
Post Comment:
Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/Q3Jhcy1Qcm9mLUZhbHUtTG92ZS1GYWx1LVplcm8=
Bookmark -
Del.icio.us |
Furl It |
Technorati |
Ask |
MyWeb |
Propeller |
Live Bookmarks |
Newsvine |
TailRank |
Reddit |
Slashdot |
Digg |
Stumbleupon |
Google Bookmarks |
Sphere |
Blink It |
Spurl
|
