02/27/2007
Twenty-seven schools in the U.S. and Canada using NFIB's curriculum to teach entrepreneurship skills
CONTACT: Melissa Sharp, (202) 314-2068
Washington, D.C., February 27, 2007 — Starting in fall 2006, high schools were invited to participate in the National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur Foundation's Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom pilot program. The curriculum provides educators with free resources to teach students entrepreneurship skills and show students how to turn their dreams or hobbies into a successful business. To date 27 schools have plans to use the curriculum during the 2007 spring semester, and 20 schools participated in the fall 2006 semester.
"Encouraging young students to become entrepreneurs is an incredible thing," Hank Kopcial, executive director of NFIB YEF said. "Once students realize that owning their own business or creating a new and innovative product is possible, the sky is the limit on what they can accomplish. NFIB's Young Entrepreneur Foundation is very excited to introduce the Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom program to schools, and we look forward to hearing how students and teachers react and embrace the curriculum."
The YEF, in conjunction with George Washington University, created the Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom curriculum to raise awareness among the nation's youth of the critical role that private enterprise and entrepreneurship play in strengthening America's economy. Visa USA is a copresenting sponsor of the EITC curriculum.
The curriculum is designed as a three-week supplemental course teaching entrepreneurial skills. Educators may download the free cross-curricular supplement for use in their classrooms from the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation Web site at www.NFIB.com/EITC.
Schools participating in the Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom program during the spring 2007 semester are:
California
- Los Banos High School, Los Banos, Calif.
- Sylmar High School, Sylmar, Calif.
Florida
- Lake Stevens Middle School, Carol City, Fla.
- Andrew Jackson Middle School, Titusville, Fla.
Kansas
- Shawnee Heights High School, Tecuseh, Kan.
Louisiana
- Haynesville High School, Haynesville, La.
Maine
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Belfast, Maine
Michigan
- Arthur Eddy Academy, Saginaw, Mich.
- Otsego Baptist Academy, Otsego, Mich.
Nebraska
- Auburn High School, Auburn, Neb.
Nevada
- Sierra Vista High School, Las Vegas, Nev.
New Hampshire
Sanborn Regional High School, Kingston, N.H.
New Jersey
East Orange Campus High School, East Orange, N.J.
New York
- Bolivar Richburg, Bolivar, N.Y.
- Genessee Valley Central School, Belmont, N.Y.
- Salamanca High School, Salamanca, N.Y.
- Randolph Central High School, Randolph, N.Y.
North Carolina
- Morehead High School, Eden, N.C.
Pennsylvania
- Susquehanna Township High School, Harrisburg, Pa.
South Carolina
Lakewood High School, Sumter, S.C.
Texas
- Palmer Home School, Houston, Texas
Virginia
- Tysons Classroom on the Mall, Tysons Corner, Va.
- Springfield Classroom on the Mall, Springfield, Va.
Washington
- Lakes High School, Lakewood, Wash.
Wisconsin
- Gresham Community School, Gresham, Wis.
Canada
- St. Basil Secondary, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
- Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi NDG, Montreal, Quebec
