03/02/2007
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As part of National Entrepreneurship Week, NFIB President and CEO Todd Stottlemyer mentors students in Tysons Corner Classroom on the Mall in McLean, Va. |
NFIB president shows students how to turn passion for fashion into a small business
CONTACT: Melissa Sharp, (202) 314-2068
Windows Media file: NFIB President Todd Stottlemyer in the classroom for National Entrepreneurship WeekWashington, D.C.--As part of National Entrepreneurship Week, National Federation of Independent Business President and CEO Todd Stottlemyer mentored a Fairfax County Public School fashion marketing class Thursday, March 1, to help show high school students that starting their own business is a real possibility.
The fashion marketing class is part of the elective curriculum offered to Fairfax County students, and is taught at the Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Va. Tysons Corner Classroom on the Mall is one of the 27 schools participating in the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation's new Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom pilot program this semester.
"Challenging students to consider how they can turn their passions and hobbies into an actual business is incredibly important to the future of America's small-business community," said Stottlemyer. "It's important to NFIB and our members to pass along the American dream of owning one's own business to our country's youth. NFIB believes the Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom program will inspire students to be entrepreneurs, and we are encouraged that our program is grabbing the attention of educators across the country."
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NFIB President and CEO Todd Stottlemyer mentors fashion marketing students at Tysons Corner Classroom on the Mall in McLean, Va. |
The EITC program is a curriculum that provides educators with free resources to teach students entrepreneurship skills and show students how to turn their dreams or hobbies into a successful business. Visa USA is a copresenting sponsor of the EITC curriculum. Visa USA announced in February that they will be supporting all YEF education initiatives by giving the foundation a $300,000 grant to support YEF programs. Rhonda Bentz, vice president of Visa USA also attended the Fairfax event. As part of the curriculum, Bentz listened to students' business pitches and gave them feedback on whether she, as a potential financial resource, would support their proposals.
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. The curriculum is designed as a supplemental course unit 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.
"I'm using the Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom curriculum in my fashion marketing class to teach my students about entrepreneurship and starting a business in the context of the fashion world," said Lynda Campbell, marketing teacher-coordinator for Fairfax County Public Schools.
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
