Give Los Angeles Youth An Entrepreneurial Mindset

NFTE Los Angeles’s project to bring our groundbreaking curriculum to all of the classrooms we serve may not have reached our ultimate funding goal, but it did raise almost $400 to aid out young entrepreneurs. Thanks so much to those who did donate, we appreciate all the efforts you have made to bring entrepreneurial dreams to life. NFTE Los Angeles was able to provide our students with hands-on activities that teach product innovation, the economics on unit, market research, and more. This experiential curriculum is instrumental in honing an entrepreneurial mindset in our students and wouldn’t have been possible without your contributions.

Two of the students who benefit from the classroom resources provided through this microproject were Joshua F. and Eddy C. The market research assignment really hit home with Joshua. When given the assignment to come up with a problem in the world and create a solution, the pair were initially stumped. However, when brushing his teeth at the bathroom sink that evening, Joshua noticed his little sister had already finished brushing and rinsing before he had finished just one section of his teeth. That’s when he realized that many kids don’t brush their teeth for the recommended amount of time. Their company Time’s Up, a toothpaste that is designed to change color after approximately two minutes of brushing, is their solution to improve dental hygiene and prevent tooth decay, which can compromise a student’s self-esteem and social development. It includes the fun bonus for kids who hit the recommended brush time and uses FDA approved dyes.

Joshua and Eddy placed in the Los Angeles Business Plan Competition, earning seed capital to further their ambitions with Time’s Up, as well as a chance to present in the National Youth Entrepreneurship Competition on October 9^th in Mountain View, California. The pair powered through their quarterfinal presentation (with Eddy even giving a brushing demonstration for the judges!), helping Time’s Up breeze into the semifinal round. Unfortunately they did not advance to the finals, but they did earn valuable experience presenting to a panel of venture capital judges. While they further Time’s Up, Eddy plans to attend college, saying NFTE has given him new direction in what to study. Joshua is currently a freshman at California State University, Long Beach where he plans to major in Healthcare Administration.

Their journey would not have been possible without your donations to our hands-on curriculum activities. Thank you so much again from all of us at NFTE Los Angeles on behalf of the youth we serve.