Young Entrepreneurs Academy To Hold Classes This Fall
Visalia, CA, 7.2.14 - The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is an innovative program that transforms local middle and high school students into real entrepreneurial successes. The Tulare and Visalia Chambers are excited to announce that the local YEA! program will be hosted at COS in the fall of 2014.
YEA! is a groundbreaking program that takes middle and high school students through the process of starting and launching a real business or social movement over the course of an academic year. By the end of the class, students own and operate fully-formed and functioning businesses, which may be carried on after their graduation from the program. YEA! aims to teach students at an early age how to make a job, not just take a job. It is the ONLY pre-college program developed by an entrepreneur, at a university, with support from a major entrepreneurial foundation, the Kauffman Foundation, and the United States Chamber of Commerce.
“We are excited about this expansion and specifically chose Tulare because of its reputation for academic excellence and emphasis on community involvement,” said Gayle Jagel, the CEO and Founder of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy. Jagel developed the YEA! program in 2004, while serving as the Director of the Office of Special Programs at the University of Rochester. In 2008, YEA! ‘spun-off’ from the University to create its own not-for-profit corporation, YEA! Inc.
“We are so proud to be able to co-host The Young Entrepreneurs Academy with the Visalia Chamber of Commerce this year,” said Kathleen Green, CEO, Tulare Chamber of Commerce. “This program will be such a positive influence on students in our local community, and will provide an innovative, challenging, and fulfilling experience for everyone involved”.
The YEA! program requires a nine-month commitment from its young entrepreneurs. In this time, students will brainstorm and form their enterprises, make pitches to real investors, obtain funding, register their companies with the county, and by the end, actually launch their own business! Business mentors and local entrepreneurs across a variety of industries will support the students throughout the program. All of the learning is real and experiential.
“One of the most interesting components of the YEA! program is the actual ‘behind the scenes’ knowledge that our local business leaders will be able to share with the students,” said Nicola Wissler, Visalia Chamber YEA! Program Manager. “This experience is something students will be able to apply to any field they choose to enter, and will provide them with the necessary skills to become future leaders of their industries.”
“The entire community is on board with Visalia’s plans to expand the program to Tulare this program in the fall,” adds Jagel. “We encourage local business leaders to become involved with the program and to act as mentors to the budding entrepreneurs.” By partnering with YEA!, both large and small businesses can volunteer their time as business mentors, field trip hosts, guest lecturers, graphic designers, web developers, attorneys, etc. Community support strengthens the program, and the academy strengthens the community.
The Visalia/Tulare YEA! program will be hosting information sessions on July 29th & July 30th for students, parents, and individuals interested in learning more about the how they can get involved in YEA!.
