Originally Published February 14, 2024

Celebrate Black Entrepreneurship

Compiled by Mindset & Milestones, this dynamic slide deck highlights 30 Black Entrepreneurs who are making history each day in the world of business and entrepreneurship. It features the stories of innovators in a wide spectrum of industries, from media and entertainment to healthcare and technology.

This curated resource is more than just a tribute; it’s an educational adventure, crafted to enrich and diversify entrepreneurial studies in classrooms and beyond. The slide deck is not confined to Black History Month, it’s a year-round celebration of diversity, perseverance, and ingenuity.

• Log in or sign up for YIPPEE, and visit the Mindset & Milestones page.
• Click “Get this product” and fill out the required fields.
• Once you receive email confirmation, download directly from “Your Orders” page in YIPPEE!

Free Printable Valentines (courtesy of VentureLab)

VentureLab’s free entrepreneurship Valentine printables celebrate a few of the essential entrepreneurship mindsets and skills. Print them out and share the love with your students, colleagues, family members, or anyone in your life who you’d like to appreciate! Check out the cards here.

Student Opportunities

One Week Left to Submit Student Elevator Pitch Videos

Educators, we’re rounding third base! Here are a few reminders to help you slide into home plate safely. This year’s contest is open for entries until Feb. 20, and offers more than $7,500 in prizes. Register your class if you haven’t already done so! This year, students compete individually or in teams of up to 4 to earn their place in our online showcase. Learn more about our new pitch category prizes! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

Worldwide Pitch Competition

The Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition is a virtual competition that attracts the very best high school-aged entrepreneurs from all over the world. Every year, thousands of high school students pitch their innovative business concepts to experienced entrepreneurs, receive feedback, join a community of like-minded students, and compete for thousands in cash prizes. The submission deadline is February 18. Learn more and register here.

Student Fellows Program

Applications are now open for the inaugural Young Entrepreneur Fellowship! Student applicants must be operating their own business and be current or pending participants in the Young Entrepreneur Market program. Selected fellows will be partnered with an adult entrepreneur as a mentor and will be eligible to receive money for their business! Applications are due Friday, March 8, 2024 and can be found here, along with more information. For questions, please contact Katy Nozar at knozar@us.edu

Save the Date – Thurs. April 25!

We are thrilled to be hosting the annual Celebrate Youth Entrepreneurship at University School on Thursday, April 25 from 9:15 – 10:30 AM, and we’d love to see you and your students there! Email us to save a spot for your class. Space will be limited, so keep an eye out for more details and registration coming soon.

Save the Date – Thurs. April 25!

We are thrilled to be hosting the annual Celebrate Youth Entrepreneurship at University School on Thursday, April 25, and we’d love to see you and your students there! Email us to save a spot for your class. Space will be limited, so keep an eye out for more details and registration coming soon.

Stark County Pitch Competition

JA of North Central Ohio is excited to be a partner for this year’s Stark Tank: High School Edition. High school students in Stark County are invited to submit 60-90 second pitch videos of either conceptual or existing companies (two different contests) for the chance to pitch at a live Shark Tank night this March. Winners can win prizes of up to $2,000! Click the following links to view more info on the Conceptual Teams Contest on March 20/21, and the Existing Teams Contest on March 14. All sessions begin at 6:00 PM Eastern.

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Summer Residential Programs

Ohio Business Week Summer Camp

Applications for the 35th year of Ohio Business Week summer camp are open! High school students across Ohio have the opportunity to learn and practice their business skills June 16-21. Over 150 students will be inspired in their entrepreneurial journey as they experience six days of college life at Bowling Green State University. The cost for the program, housing, meals, and program items is $499, but financial aid will also be available. Check out the official flyer for more information and prepare your application here.

Learning About Business Summer Immersive

LAB Week is a mini-MBA experience for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors that includes a 5-day residential experience at Lake Erie College. LAB Week features a hands-on curriculum with presentations from area business professionals, an interactive online business simulation, and a chance to develop leadership and teamwork skills. The only cost per student is a $200 registration fee. Students who participate in the camp from June 16-21 are also eligible to receive three college credits. Learn more and apply here. Applications due by April 26.

Free Speech Leadership Summit

Hundreds of college-bound high school students from across the country will join FIRE at Temple University in Philadelphia this summer from Jun. 23-29 to explore all things free speech. Students can choose from five unique tracks to enjoy a personalized educational experience. This opportunity is absolutely free! Students who are invited will stay on campus at no charge, and there will be a limited number of need-based travel scholarships to get students to the campus. Applications are due by Apr. 30, but space is limited, so act now! Click here to learn more and apply.

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Educator Resources

Ignite, Inspire, Innovate Conference

Ignite, Inspire, Innovate: Transforming Futures Through Out-of-School Time is a two day event held Thurs. – Fri. Feb. 22 – 23, at the Quest Conference Center in Central Ohio. The conference theme reflects OAN’s mission to advocate for, support, and facilitate the development of quality, sustainable out-of-school time (OST) programs for Ohio’s youth and teens. Learn more and register here.

Attend Teen Accelerate

In conjunction with Cleveland Leadership Center’s Accelerate competition, YEI has organized Teen Accelerate: Student Citizens Make Change, which will take place from 4:15-7:00 PM on Feb. 22, and will be followed by the Accelerate Finals. Click here to access the event website and purchase your tickets today! We hope to see you there.

February 27 Power Hour

Join us Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 4:00 PM EST, for a Power Hour on Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship! We will hear from Danielle Espiritu from WeThrive, Denice Shafer from Junior Achievement, and Mathew Georgio from GoVenture. Register for the Power Hour here.

Get Support Preparing Your Grant Application

The Ohio Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant will be open for another round soon! This grant is designed to empower schools and out-of-school providers by offering support to enrich programs, activities, and career readiness opportunities for students before and after school and during summer breaks. To help you prepare a top notch application and discover new partners that are ready to support you, register for the Ohio Afterschool Network and EnvisionEdPlus FREE Virtual CCLC Technical Assistance and Partner Expo on Feb. 27 from 9:30 -11:00 AM EST. Learn more and register here.

Cultivating Entrepreneurial Mindsets Free Webinar

Learning to think like an entrepreneur can be a transformative experience, but what exactly does it mean to have an entrepreneurial mindset? How can we develop it in ourselves and others? Join the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative for their free webinar on Tues., Feb. 27 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM EST to discover the valuable skills that come with an entrepreneurial mindset, and how it can empower individuals and unleash potential. Register here!

2024 Annual Conference

This year’s conference theme “Connect, Learn, Inspire: Empowering K-12 Students with Future-Ready Skills” unites educators, experts, and stakeholders in entrepreneurship education. It fosters networking and collaboration, shares best practices, and inspires through success stories. The conference takes place March 12-13 in Canonsburg, PA. Learn more and register here.

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Seeking Volunteer Judges

We need help evaluating entries for this year’s Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge! Judging is a simple process that takes about an hour, and can be completed entirely online. If you know anyone who may be interested in judging, please share this form with them.

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Complete Beta Testing by Mar. 15 to Earn $50

We are looking for Round 2 Beta Testers on the new MegaMinds platform that uses the WAGiLabs curriculum. WAGiLabs is a fantastic problem solving/pitching curriculum that is currently offered via YIPPEE in a traditional workbook format. This new platform takes the curriculum to a new level offering an online immersive experience for students. Check out the full description here.

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Free Resources for Educators through YIPPEE!

• Educators choose the products that work best for them
• Providers decide where and how they want to offer resources
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When all three align, a match is made and educators get a grant – without any paperwork!

Learn what other educators think of YIPPEE here!

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Have an Event or Program to Highlight?

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 Evan Yule with any potential features to be included in our future newsletters, we’d love to hear from you!