Miami Schools Teach Entrepreneurship

National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship Funds Programs in Miami Schools

This summer, 126 students from Miami Schools entered a six-week training session and contest to learn about entrepreneurship. Funded and run by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, the six week summer session will teach the students how to create a business plan, how to secure start up funds and then how to pitch the idea to real business people. The twelve best plans will compete in the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship Macy’s 2006 Business Plan Competition. Only one winner will represent Florida in New York in October with a chance to win $10,000.

The Miami Schools system has some of the highest dropout rates in the state of Florida. One of the principal reasons for this may be that students a bored and do not see how their school work relates to the real world. The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship contest shows how owning a business relates to math and reading skills. This gives a meaning and a relevance to education. A study by the Harvard Graduate School of Education found that students exposed to entrepreneurship classes are more interested in education, are more likely to go to college and more likely to engage in independent reading than their peers.

New National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship Programs in the Miami Schools
The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship will, over the next two years, establish programs in 20 Miami Schools resulting in the program being accessible by nearly 3,400 middle and high school students. Some schools will offer more than just the summer contest but integrated into the curriculum. A Miami business lawyer and one of the judges who helped pick the finalists, stressed issues pertaining to the insurance and salary of the employees. This is the same issues that he would address with actual entrepreneurs. Several of the students from Miami Schools in the program have attempted to actually start a company. One student in the contest, Steve Rodriguez, has created X-Paks, a company that sells drawstring backpacks that can be produced in the shape and color the client wants. The sixteen year old is an aspiring engineer that wants to go on to MIT. He hopes that word of mouth marketing will lead his company to success. His partner is his mother who does the sewing and shares in half the profits.

Another student in the competition, Elise Lorenzo, has created a plan for a company call Envision Art. This high school sophomore’s company plan, based around creating an online art gallery, won points with the judges for her creative use of an S Corporation structure, which will allow her to reflect company profits on her personal tax returns.

National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship
National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship was founded in 1987. National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship was started by a businessman and former teacher, Steve Mariotti. National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship Miami Schools program aims to prevent dropout and improve academic performance among students who were at risk of failing or quitting school. Mr. Mariotti used his knowledge of business to help him to connect to his low-income students by giving them the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship, their innate “street smarts” can easily develop into “academic smarts” and “business smarts.” Through entrepreneurship, youth discover that what they are learning in the classroom is relevant to the real world.


About The Author
Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, Which provides free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Stacy has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues.

View their website at: http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Florida/Miami/index.html

Embrace Entrepreneurship - Five Solid Reasons to Become a Home-Based Business Entrepreneur

by: Cheryl Neithercott

Embrace Entrepreneurship

1. Opportunity for Unlimited Income
2. Overcome Fear
3. Personal Growth
4. Empowerment
5. Enhance the Lives of Others

Opportunity for Unlimited Income

Life is full of opportunity if we allow ourselves to welcome it. New ideas and direction come to us each and every day of our lives. Often we don't have much time to think about opportunity that could enhance our life and greatly improve quality of life for others. We are so caught up with our everyday shuffle. Rather than consuming life, life seems to be consuming us.

Working from home as a home-based business entrepreneur offers many advantages worth considering. Unlimited income potential, tax benefits, working when you choose and with whom are just a few. There are numerous companies within the home based business industry (also referred to as the Direct Sales Industry, Network Marketing Industry, Multi-Level Marketing Industry) that offer unique products and services to choose from. These products and/or services can become a vehicle to create substantial residual walk-away income - income without a ceiling that can lead to full income replacement and well beyond. Being your own C.E.O. and earning income for you rather than for a Corporate dynasty with limited personal and financial advancement, is unthinkable for some and a reality for many.

Sound enticing? Take a little time to explore the booming home-based business industry. Say Yes to opportunity. Yes to your entrepreneurial calling. Accept challenges along the way. Enhance your life and the lives of others.

Embrace opportunity and start creating your own future.

Overcome Fear

Overcoming Fear allows us to move forward. Fear is a very big and challenging obstacle for many, especially women. Entrepreneurship within the home-based business industry is the perfect vehicle for assisting us in letting go of fear. Numerous resources and support within the industry abound to assist in overcoming this obstacle. Overcoming fear builds strength and a strong foundation for momentum.

Embrace your fear and experience the joy of letting go.

Personal Growth

Entrepreneurship naturally brings out personal growth. Many people in the home-based business industry summarize success in two words - Personal Development. Numerous resources are available to assist in this area.

Self-confidence and self-esteem issues, common for women, will strengthen into building blocks for leadership skills. Success is the outcome of personal growth. The joy along the way is rewarding, will be noticed by others and attract many to your business.

Learn how to get out of your own way. If you find yourself in a place in life where you are ready to receive, learn, willing to grow, the home-based industry is the perfect vehicle. It encourages you to work on yourself, and commit to lifelong learning.

Embrace desire for growth. Embrace your own personal development.

Empowerment

Taking control of your own life is very empowering. Time freedom and financial freedom allow you to create and live life on your own terms. Thinking 'outside of the box' is a common mindset within the home-based business industry. Owning your days, your future, thinking big and dreaming big are frequent topics of discussion. Empower yourself - a shift in mindset towards building your own future can change the quality of your life.

Embrace life, your dreams, and your freedom.

Enhance the Lives of Others

Enhancing the lives of others by helping others along the way is often the most rewarding aspect of building a business within the home-based business industry. For women, we are nurturers in our own way just by being women. Eighty percent of the people within the home-based business industry are women. As we build our business, we have an opportunity to take others with us, build cohesiveness and assist them in achieving personal and financial goals. Network marketing is relational marketing. Making new friends and building lifelong relationships is the core of our business. Unlimited abundance naturally follows for those with vision, belief and persistence. Impacting others makes a difference on a personal, community and global level.

Embrace your ability to make a difference. Abundance will follow.

Have Faith in Yourself.

Believe in your Dreams.

Become a Home-Based Business Entrepreneur.


About The Author
Businesswoman, Friend, Collaborator, and Team player Cheryl Neithercott fulfills her Entrepreneurial calling by offering a great service that enriches the lives of others. Together with other fellow BraveHeart Community members, her goal is to empower Women to be multi-dimensional success stories and inspiration to others. Be Sure to Visit: http://BraveHeartWomen.com/Cheryl