The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce will kick off its Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) on Tuesday, October 9th with 10 students ranging in age from 11- 18 years old, with a keen drive to launch and run their own, real businesses.
The after-school enrichment program attracts the best and brightest students who will receive hands-on experiential learning that will serve as a foundation for future business endeavors or advanced collegiate business courses.
Throughout the year students will work in close cooperation with local business leaders, community leaders and educators who use their personal experiences to demonstrate how to develop business ideas and objectives, write a business plan, pitch to investors, obtain funding, register with governmental agencies, establish e-commerce and a web presence, and more.
By the end of the academic year, students own and operate fully-formed and functioning businesses, which may be carried after their graduation from the program.
Classes will be held every Tuesday and instructed by Steve Hudson, Office Depot, Heather Lambeth Root, New Image Realty, and Sam Rubadue, Western Metals Recycling.
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy is a national program offered for students in grades 6 to 12. The Grand Junction Area Chamber’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy is in it’s sixth year. For more information on how you can get involved with YEA!, contact Program Manager Darcy Weir at 970-263-2916 or darcy@gjchamber.org.