Each student in the NFTE Entrepreneurship Class creates a business plan that they present in a classroom competition. The classroom prize funds provide an incentive for students to produce quality work, and mirrors the pursuit of seed capital in the business world.
Youth attending Los Angeles schools affected by the drop-out crisis need motivation and incentives to stay engaged in their education and pursue goals that will better prepare them for future success. They often feel that their education is not relevant to real life. To help students see the importance of their education, NFTE Los Angeles offers seed capital to those students who create outstanding business plans and have winning presentations in their classroom competitions.
The NFTE Entrepreneurship Class builds critical skills and motivates students to stay engaged in school. The appeal of the Classroom Business Plan Competition Prize Funds ($175 per class) drives students to press through their difficulties in mastering complex entrepreneurship material referred to as a 'mini-MBA'. Better educated youth can take advantage of the higher-skilled jobs that are more available locally.
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 its doors in 2007, NFTE Greater Los Angeles has reached over 6,000 students from low-income communities with entrepreneurship education programs.