By David Seduski | Development Associate
NFTE New England’s summer programming, which included some amazing mentoring sessions, has recently come to a close. Although our microproject on GlobalGiving did not reach out fundraising goal, your contributions helped provide access to local business mentors for our young entrepreneurs. Today’s youth need a mindset that equips them to recognize opportunity, take initiative, and innovate in the face of challenges. Part of that involves hearing from entrepreneurs who have the firsthand knowledge of the hard work that goes into creating and running a business. These volunteers lend their guidance with business development and financial advice, which our students in turn use to help create a business plan for a new venture of their own. Whether our mentors serve as classroom volunteers, guest speakers, or guides on field trips to local businesses, the experience they can impart on NFTE’s students is tremendously valuable to their continued business education.
Two students who definitely took advantage of their mentoring sessions are Yoanna and Tamara of Lawrence, Massachusetts. Their mentors in NFTE New England’s classroom helped them form a business around a problem they faced in their personal lives, filling a need they knew existed. As high school athletes they were hoping to garner some attention from recruiters but both had difficulty getting their foot in the door. Learning from their personal struggles, they decided to found Star Athletes; a film service that creates professional highlight reels for athletes who are in the process of trying to get recruited for college. Although neither had any prior business experience they stuck it out and were thrilled when they finished their first reel. They are excited by their success and hope the service they provide will make the recruitment process easier for others like them in years to come.
Your donations through GlobalGiving helped give students Yoanna and Tamara the resources they needed to see their entrepreneurial seeds come to fruition. Thanks again for you contributions to our New England programs.
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