Independent Youth In Schools
Many students are excited by the idea of making money while few schools and organizations fully nurture this interest. Independent Youth addresses this issue by bringing educational, informative and engaging entrepreneurship workshops into to youth.
In a country whose founding principles are based on free-enterprise, many students are not very familiar with the basics of starting and owning a business of their own. This is where Independent Youth steps in to help.
In order to increase the level of student accessibility to information about entrepreneurship, Independent Youth offers middle schools, high schools and community organizations nationwide an on-site interactive program that focuses on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. During this time, students become familiar with terminology and concepts as they explore their interest in business ownership.
IY in Schools Workshops
Independent Youth offers three types of workshops through its Independent Youth in Schools program.
The Basics of Becoming a Young Entrepreneur-
This 1 hour program gives students a high level overview of entrepreneurship. The interactive session provides students with lessons of entrepreneurship while sharing personal insight into the life of a business owner. The program ends with a group activity that encourages students to think in a creative way while addressing issues of entrepreneurship through a basic case study.
Diving into Youth Entrepreneurship-
This Independent Youth in Schools customized program is for schools and organizations that are interested in Independent Youth delivering its students an in-depth review of entrepreneurship. During this time Independent Youth goes into greater detail on various facets of entrepreneurship such as; strategy, marketing, finance, and operations. In addition, the hands-on entrepreneurial focused student activities are more extensive, giving each student a deeper understanding of the ins and outs of owning and running a business.
Independent Youth works with the school to find out preferred areas of focus for each session. Schools have the option of bringing this program in on a one-time basis or multiple times as an entrepreneurial series. There is a fee for the Diving into Youth Entrepreneurship workshop.
Independent Youth Biz-Reality-
This series of fun and engaging educational workshops allow students to experience entrepreneurship first hand. Independent Youth Biz-Reality takes students through the various steps of creating, developing and operating a business while forming a company of their own. Workbooks and worksheets are provided to guide students through this process. Students are also given the tools to build their own business website in order to market their final product(s) and/or service(s). A facilitator from Independent Youth meets with students a few times over the course of the program. During this time the IY facilitator guides students and answers questions that may arise while building their personal business. Upon completion of this program, students will have a completed business plan, website and an operating business. There is a fee for the Independent Youth Biz-Reality program.
Teacher Testimonials
"The presentation was very informative. It kept my students interest and attention. I believe that several of the students will be using the information for future business plans."
SueLyn Glidden, Business Teacher & DECA Advisor
Jenks High School - Jenks, OK.
"The students were engaged the entire class period. The real life entrepreneurial examples that were given kept the students very interested. Several students commented that this is exactly what they want to do in the future and did not know they could begin now. I highly recommend this program to all business classes."
Marci Boland, Business Teacher & DECA Advisor
Clayton High School - St. Louis, MO.
"Students could really relate to the speaker and her examples. It was very refreshing to have a young CEO talk to students about the successes and challenges of becoming an entrepreneur."
Cara Weiss, Business Teacher
Parkway Central High School - Chesterfield, MO.
"The presenter did a great job of showing students the value of entrepreneurship. I would love for her to come back and speak with my classes again."
David Curry, Marketing Teacher & DECA Advisor
Wharton High School - Tampa, FL.
"Worked well with my curriculum. Very knowledgeable and relevant!"
Amanda Breznay, Marketing Teacher & DECA Coordinator
Fox High School - Arnold, MO.
"Great presentation with valuable information. Thank you."
Christy Flanigan, Marketing Education & Business Teacher
Putnam City North High School - Oklahoma City, OK.
Student Testimonials
"I am really glad that I heard this presentation because it helps relate school to the real world."
Student, Clayton High School
"Lots of great information. There were many good examples that were shocking and intriguing."
Student, Putnam City North High School
"Very, very, very inspirational. I am thinking of ways that I could start to make money by starting my own business."
Student, Putnam City North High School
"Very informative! I appreciate the opportunity."
Student, Webster High School
"Great presentation. The speaker did a phenomenal job."
Student, Wharton High School
"I am very excited about entrepreneurship and really want to look into it some more. This presentation really opened my eyes."
Student, North Intermediate High School
"I have been considering entrepreneurship and this made my mind up for sure!"
Student, Fox High School
IY in Schools Tour Dates
Throughout the school year, The Independent Youth in Schools Tour visits Middle Schools and High Schools Nationwide to present its workshop entitled The Basics of Becoming a Young Entrepreneur to students.
Independent Youth would love to visit your school! To receive additional information on this tour or to register your school, send an email to info@independentyouth.org!
Register Your School/Organization
Teaching students the basics of how to become an entrepreneur is an important investment in all of our futures. To learn more about the Independent Youth in Schools program or to register your class or organization for one of these informative entrepreneurship workshops, please contact Independent Youth at info@independentyouth.org.
“Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.”
– Mary K Ash, founder of Mary Kay cosmetics
“As long as you're going to be thinking anyway, think big.”
– Donald Trump, real estate and entertainment mogul
“Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable.”
– Coco Chanel, fashion designer
“An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew hoping he'll quickly learn how to chew it.”
– Roy Ash, founder of Litton Industries
“You take on the responsibility for making your dream a reality.”
– Les Brown, founder of best-selling author and motivational speaker
“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It's as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.”
– Nolan Bushnell, founder of Chuck E. Cheese's
“Genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration.”
– Thomas Edison, inventor and scientist
“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won't, so that you can live the rest of your life like most people can't.”
– Anonymous
“What I know is, is that if you do work that you love, and the work fulfills you, the rest will come.”
– Oprah Winfrey, business mogul, talk show host and producer
“Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”
– John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil Company
“I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them!”
– Madam C.J. Walker, creator of a popular line of African-American hair care products and America's first black female millionaire
“If you dream it, you can do it.”
– Walt Disney, co-founder of The Walt Disney Company
“I think there is something more important than believing: Action! The world is full of dreamers. There aren't enough who will move ahead and take concrete steps to actualize their vision.”
– W. Clement Stone, Businessman
“Capital isn't that important in business. Experience isn't that important. You can get both of these things. What is important is ideas.”
– Harvey Firestone, founder of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.
“You take on the responsibility for making your dream a reality.”
– Les Brown, founder of best-selling author and motivational speaker
“Find your passion...then it is no longer work!”
– L.A. Reid, co-founder of LaFace Records
“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma- which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. everything else is secondary.”
– Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple and Pixar
“The important this is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try.”
– Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies
“The best reason to start an organization is to make meaning; to create a product or service to make the world a better place.”
– Guy Kawasaki, venture capitalist, CEO of Garage Technology Ventures