A group of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) Arlington 2015-2016 students gather after orientation. Photo Contributed
The Arlington Chamber of Commerce kicked off the 2015-2016 academic year of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) on Wednesday, Oct. 28 with a parent and student orientation. Twenty middle and high school students with entrepreneurial spirit will be participating the program. These students range in age from 11-18 years old and represent schools from across the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
A competitive application process required students to complete an essay, write responses to short answer questions, submit their school transcripts and a reference, and participate in an in-person interview prior to acceptance into the program.
"We look forward to seeing what these students will accomplish this year with the help of our dedicated membership," said Kate Roche, president and CEO of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. "YEA! offers numerous opportunities for business leaders to share their experience and talents with these budding entrepreneurs, providing the students with high level professional mentoring while building their entrepreneurial spirit."
Classes will be held at Marymount University and instructed by Charlie Sibbald, Adjunct Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Marymount University. Throughout the year students will work 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 government agencies, establish e-commerce and a web presence, and more. By the end of the 28-week class, students own and operate fully-formed and functioning businesses, which may be carried after their graduation from the program.