Originally Published April 24, 2024

Welcome, Marissa Wilson

We are pleased to welcome Marissa Wilson to the Young Entrepreneur Institute team as our new Senior Program Manager with responsibility for Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge in all formats and all markets. Marissa is a native Clevelander who brings a wealth of experience from her roles at the Los Angeles-based Blavity Media company, and as the founder of Capsoul, an innovative luggage brand.

Marissa can be reached via email at mdwilson@us.edu. We’re thrilled to have her on the YEI team!

Educator Resources and Professional Development

May 1 Power Hour

Join us Wednesday, May 1 at 4:00 PM EST for a Power Hour about YIPPEE for Educator Training! Learn about professional development opportunities including contact hours and graduate credit hours offered through YIPPEE! Click here to register.

2024 Ohio Tech Summit

Ohio Tech Summit is a full day of content and experiences where Ohio tech shows off and features high-profile speakers, tech demos, and networking. This year’s theme is emerging technologies and their impact on Ohio’s leading industries. The Summit take place on May 16, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. Learn more and get your tickets here.

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Student Summer Residential Programs

Ohio Business Week Summer Camp

Applications for the 35th year of Ohio Business Week summer camp are open! High school students across Ohio have the opportunity to learn and practice their business skills June 16-21. Over 150 students will be inspired in their entrepreneurial journey as they experience six days of college life at Bowling Green State University. The cost for the program, housing, meals, and program items is $499, but financial aid will also be available. Check out the official flyer for more information and prepare your application here.

Learning About Business Summer Immersive

LAB Week is a mini-MBA experience for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors that includes a 5-day residential experience at Lake Erie College. LAB Week features a hands-on curriculum with presentations from area business professionals, an interactive online business simulation, and a chance to develop leadership and teamwork skills. The only cost per student is a $200 registration fee. Students who participate in the camp from June 16-21 are also eligible to receive three college credits. Learn more and apply here. Applications due by April 26.

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Student Competition

BUILD’s Design Challenge

BUILD’s Design Challenge empowers students to take action as they work to develop innovative solutions for their communities. Students are guided through the entire Design Thinking process using their new digital platform. The content was created to empower students nationwide and give them a sense of self-agency. Learn more about the Design Challenge and sign-up here.

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Blogs and Articles

Blog: Embracing Failure – The Stepping Stone to Success

In life, and especially in entrepreneurship, failure is unavoidable, and there is no denying that it can hurt. Fortunately, the sting of failure doesn’t signify the end; rather, it marks the beginning of a new learning curve. Check out the full blog for three examples of questions and activities that help students explore failure as part of their EntrepreNew Pathways experience.

Article: The Rise of ESTEAM® in STEM Education

“In today’s fast-paced world, merely having knowledge is not enough; the ability to apply that knowledge innovatively and entrepreneurially is what sets individuals apart. Recognizing this, VentureLab introduced the groundbreaking ESTEAM® approach, seamlessly blending entrepreneurship with the foundational pillars of STEM education.”

Read the full article here.

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Teen Accelerate: Student Citizens Making Change Recap

YEI hosted the second annual Teen Accelerate: Student Citizens Make Change, an opportunity for high schoolers. We received 22 entries from 39 students at 15 different high schools. Ten Finalists were selected to pitch their ideas live at the Huntington Convention Center on Feb. 22, 2024.

Congrats to all of the finalists, as well as first place winners Lilly Moran and Gabby Ransom (Growing Hope), from Hathaway Brown School, and runners-up Grady Miller, Jack Shaffer, and Tess Bucher (Mission Monarch), from North Canton Hoover High School. Growing Hope’s initiative seeks to provide gardening kits to children who are in foster care and long term hospitalizations. Mission Monarch is working to revive the monarch butterfly population through promotion of their milkweed seed bombs, and raising awareness and funds by selling monarch plush toys. You can read about all the finalist initiatives here.

The first place prize was $1,000 and mentorship from a partner organization to help progress their idea. The Runner-up team received $500, and all finalists were awarded with $250. Check out the photos from this year’s Teen Accelerate competition here!

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Free Resources for Educators Through YIPPEE!

YIPPEE is a grant delivery platform that provides educators access to entrepreneurship education resources for free. All parties involved get a say in what resources reach our students:

• Educators choose the products that work best for them
• Providers decide where and how they want to offer resources
• Sponsors decide how they will direct their support

When all three align, a match is made and educators get a grant – without any paperwork!

Learn what other educators think of YIPPEE here!

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Have an Event or Program to Highlight?

If you have an educator professional development event, useful curriculum, or opportunity for students to engage with the entrepreneurial mindset, please let us know. Feel free to email Evan Yule with any potential features to be included in our future newsletters, we’d love to hear from you!