Bahama Bucks Corporate hosted 21 Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) students in grades six to 12 on Wed., Nov. 1, for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a thriving shaved ice business with franchises all over the United States.
YEA! Lubbock attracts the best and brightest students who receive hands-on experiential learning that serve as a foundation for future business endeavors or advanced collegiate business courses.
In addition to lessons inside the classroom, YEA! introduces students to all types of businesses through field trips as well as a variety of executive leaders through guest lectures and business mentorship.
By engaging in this hands-on approach to learning through field trips such as this, students gain a real-world understanding of the dedication it takes to be a business owner.
Throughout the year students will work in close cooperation with local business leaders, community leaders and educators who use their personal experiences to demonstrate how to develop business ideas and objectives, write a business plan, pitch to investors, obtain funding, register with governmental agencies, and establish e-commerce and a web presence, and more.
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) kicked off its second year on Oct. 17 and classes will be held weekly from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the Texas Tech Innovation Hub. The first 10-weeks of the program is the “Big Idea” phase with Keith Patrick, Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Frenship ISD, as the instructor.
YEA! is a 30-week program that teaches students how to launch and run their own, real businesses. By the end of class, students will be the CEOs of their legally formed businesses or social movements. For more information, visit yeausa.org.
(News release from the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce)