During the 2013-2014 school year, NFTE Chicago will provide 1,700 students with flash drives. These flash drives cost approximately $6 per student. The total cost of providing each student with a flash drive will be approximately $10,000.
NFTE students come from some of the most underserved communities in Chicago. To become NFTE supported, a school must have at least 50% of its students qualify for the federal free/reduced meal program due to their economic hardship. In Chicago, 85% of public school students qualify. Still, NFTE students must have the tech savvy to be prepared to join the workforce if they are to move bring wealth to their families and their communities.
The culminating experience for NFTE students is the creation and presentation of a business plan. Because NFTE students are from Chicago's under resourced communities, they often lack technology in their schools and homes. NFTE gives each student a flash drive with a business template on it to create and save their plan throughout the school year. NFTE has found that investing in flash drives is a critical component of the program in order for students in low-income communities for their plans.
NFTE Chicago is committed to providing its students with access to fundamental technological tools like flash drives, in order to ensure that their students are work-ready. This is part of NFTE's wider mission to instill in students an entrepreneurial mindset and allow students to plan for a brighter future. Since 2003, NFTE Chicago has reached nearly 15,000 students.
