NFTE Fairchester plans to hold an Innovation Day in 2015 so that students in Westchester County, NY and Fairfield County, CT can work on their business ideas before they pitch them to a panel of judges. Students will have a fun and exciting way to spend their day, dreaming up new and innovative products and entering for a chance to win prizes.
Many young entrepreneurs do not have the resources necessary to see their ideas come to life. Though they have the drive and outline of a business plan, they lack the training and formal mechanisms needed to follow through with their ideas. The World Series of Innovation changes that. The program allows young people to solve the challenges facing some of the biggest brands in the world. Students learn about marketing and design by creating an innovative product or service for each challenge.
The purpose of Innovation Day is to find an easy way for young people to complete the their business plans with the help of instructors and volunteers from the community. Students who may be unsure of how to put together aspects of their plan will receive a curriculum basic toolkit and a set of activities designed to encourage creativity and innovation in preparation for the challenge. NFTE Fairchester volunteers will help students manage their submissions to the competition as well.
By working to keep at-risk students engaged in their school work, NFTE spurs its participants to graduate high school and dare to dream of a brighter future. Whether they pursue higher education, enter the workforce, or start their own business, NFTE instills an entrepreneurial mindset in young people so they can plan for success. Since opening in 1999 NFTE Fairchester, serving Westchester County, NY and Fairfield County, CT, has served more than 15,000 students from low-income communities.