Northeast Ohio April 2026 YEI News: PD, Summer Opportunities, & more!

YEI EDUCATOR POWER HOUR - TUESDAY, APRIL 21

Who: K-12 Educators
What: YEI Educator Power Hour
Topic: Supporting the Entrepreneurial Journey at all age levels
Speakers: Leah Ellis from The Society of Child Entrepreneurs, Kim Gorsuch from Weeva's Mia and Tiago, and Lisa Riegel from JAKAPA
When: Tuesday, April 21 from 4:00-5:00pm ET
Where: Online via Zoom (you will receive a link after registering)

MOTT MILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE
441 Round 1 finalist teams from Ohio!

Over 5,300 students from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shared bold ideas in the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, pitching solutions to real-world problems. From this group, 1,500 submissions were selected as Round 1 winners across grades K–12, showcasing creativity in areas like health, technology, sustainability, and community impact. Each will receive a $250 award. Ohio has the most Round 1 winners from any state with an impressive 441 submissions selected.

As the competition moves forward, 60 semi-finalists will be invited to pitch live in Flint, Michigan this June.

TEACH ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR REAL THIS SUMMER

Lemonade Lab is a creator platform where kids build real businesses, earn real money with parent approval, and learn entrepreneurship by doing it. Lemonade Lab is currently inviting teachers, summer programs, and youth organizations to join their Free Educators Module Pilot. It is built for educators who want to go beyond theory and give students a safe, guided way to create real projects, launch real shops, and build real world business skills through hands on experience. To learn more, visit lemonadelab.ai. If you are interested in joining the pilot, reach out at hello@lemonadelab.ai.

OPPORTUNITY FOR RISING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
KeyBank Emerging Talent Summer Immersion Program

Do you know a rising high school senior who is thinking about college and interested in learning more about career opportunities in finance and banking? Students need to apply by May 1 to spend a week - June 8 through June 12 - exploring finance career paths at Key Tower downtown Cleveland.

Program Flyer
Application

Contact Heather Oney with questions.

CONGRATULATIONS, VIRGINIQUE!

Virginique Whitmore has been selected as a 2026 Outstanding Teacher of Financial & Economic Education by the H.K. Barker Center for Economic Education at The University of Akron.

For over three decades, Virginique Whitmore has been a driving force behind the business, entrepreneurship, and marketing programs at both Central Hower High School and at Buchtel CLC. As a 20-year Marketing Education Coordinator at Buchtel, she has equipped students with the practical skills, strategic thinking, and financial literacy necessary to thrive in the modern business landscape. 

Virginique was recognized for her impact on local economic education at the Cleveland Browns Training Facility in Berea earlier this month.

A MEANINGFUL MILESTONE FOR YIPPEE - 5,000 EDUCATORS AND COUNTING!

YIPPEE educators bring entrepreneurship into their classrooms, sparking curiosity, creativity, and real-world problem-solving for students in their classrooms and communities.

Through YIPPEE, educators gain access to hands-on resources that help students think like entrepreneurs - building confidence, resilience, and skills that will support them in school, work, and life.

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

As AI transforms work, human “durable skills” like critical thinking, communication, and collaboration are becoming more valuable. Are education and training systems keeping pace with this shift? Check out this recent article written by Anshul Sonak, Global Director, Digital Readiness Programs at Intel.

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!