Northwest Arkansas March 2026 Newsletter

YEI sponsored the recent Student Pitch Competition at Bentonville West High School in partnership with Startup Junkie and Ignite Professional Studies. A total of 32 students took the stage to pitch innovative business ideas. Each idea was unique and thoughtfully centered around solving real-world problems in the community, schools, and daily life. All participants demonstrated incredible creativity, confidence, and problem-solving skills throughout the competition.

Awards were presented as follows:
• 1st Place – $500
• 2nd Place – $250
•  Audience Favorite – $500

A second competition at Bentonville High took place this week with a total of 27 students presenting a business pitch.

NEW MINI-GUIDE TOOLKITS ARE AVAILABLE

Check out what's new in the EntrepreNew Pathways program for high school teachers looking to bring entrepreneurship into the classroom! We've created mini-guide toolkits to help those who need shorter curriculum units. These guides focus on:

• Creating an Entrepreneurial Problem Solving Unit with Real World Business Partners

• Creating an Entrepreneurial Speaker Session or Series

Learn more about EntrepreNew and access the free curriculum.

SAVE THE DATE! SUMMER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

What: YEI's Summer Professional Development - Connecting Educators to Entrepreneurs
When: Tuesday, June 30
Where: Northwest Arkansas Community College

Mark your calendars! Connecting Educators to Entrepreneurs is coming to Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday, June 30 at Northwest Arkansas Community College.

This year, we're focusing on what every teacher wants: engaged students who are excited to learn. Discover how entrepreneurship education sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and gives students real-world skills they will actually use. You’ll hear the story of a local company, 7 Brew, and experience an interactive workshop from Effective Leadership Academy.

Registration opens soon, so save the date for an inspiring day that will energize both you and your students. This event is presented in partnership with Economics Arkansas.

Questions? Contact Hilola Tuychieva for more information!

RECOMMENDATIONS TO MEET YOUR NEEDS

Looking for help finding the right resources for your classroom?
You can use YIPPEE’s built-in Assistant to get personalized recommendations!

The Assistant lives at the top of the Shop page after you log in. Answer three short questions, and the YIPPEE Shopping Assistant will suggest resources that match your needs.

Resources may include: 
• Field trips
• Student workshops
• Lesson plans
• And more!

Most resources are available at no cost, thanks to the generous support of YIPPEE's sponsors. Learn more at yippeemarket.com.

SAVE THE DATE! MARCH EDUCATOR POWER HOUR

What: YEI's March Educator Power
Topic: Celebrating Female Entrepreneurs
When: Wednesday, March 18 from 3:00-4:00pm CST
Where: online via Zoom

Join us to explore resources centered around female entrepreneurs as we celebrate Women’s History Month.

Click here to register!

Please contact Elizabeth Clymer with questions.

P.S. You can access the library of past Power Hours on the YEI website!

Check out this recent article from World Economic Forum highlighting the importance of youth entrepreneurship! Why investing in youth agency is now a business imperative.

If you have an educator professional development event, useful curriculum, or opportunity for students to engage with the entrepreneurial mindset, please let us know. Feel free to email us with any potential features to be included in our future newsletters, we'd love to hear from you!