Yesterday rather fell apart on me with meetings literally all day, but the last one was about an exciting new program that we are going to be helping with. It’s the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) and I’d like everyone who is in the Homestead area to please help spread the word. There is a special page on the Chamber of Commerce web site dedicated to it and an FB page http://www.chamberinaction.com/pages/YEA

In a nutshell, this 30-week program is open for students in grades 6-12 and it actually teaches them how to create their own company. Students meet once a week and learn all about how to take their idea to actual creation of a company under Florida state law and the within their city of residence. In this case, the classes will be held on the Miami-Dade Campus Homestead on Tues 4-7:00 p.m. There is a $395 cost, but that covers all the books and materials for the whole 30 weeks. There will also be scholarships available if you know of a student who would be perfect for the program, but simply cannot afford the fee. This is not merely class work – it is hands-on and there are a number of students in other YEA! Programs (it started in 2004) that have opened their businesses, run them for more and a year, and some are still going. The students in the program also get to compete for such things as scholarships and an opportunity to appear on the TV show Shark Tank. Applications are available through the web site above or you can call the Chamber of Commerce at (305) 247-2332. There are 50+ other Chambers in the country that have this program, so if you aren’t in the Homestead area, but are interested, there may be a program near you. I would please ask you to spread the word through any means you can since the application deadline in 31 August 2013.