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The Power of Volunteerism | |
This National Volunteer Month, we celebrate the impact of Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) volunteers, with 3,830 individuals serving 9,730 hours globally this fiscal year!
In a recent article, Anthony Curtis, Senior Manager of Volunteer Programs at NFTE, discussed the transformative impact of volunteerism on young entrepreneurs. With his background in education and a passion for connecting people, Anthony emphasized the importance of corporations playing an active role in shaping the future workforce.
Anthony encourages individuals to volunteer with NFTE and support youth entrepreneurship programs. With opportunities available across multiple regions, there has never been a better time to make a difference in the lives of aspiring entrepreneurs.
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In 2023, 53% of American high school students had access to a financial literacy course before graduation, marking a substantial 700% increase since 2013!
This Financial Literacy Month, we’re taking a look at this very topic in our latest NFTE NEXUS policy brief. It’s clear that financial education is a growing priority on the education landscape, but is it enough?
We think that even more can be done through entrepreneurship education, which provides a multifaceted approach to equipping students with both practical financial skills and work readiness skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision making.
Read more about the role that NFTE and entrepreneurship education can and should play in promoting financial literacy at the link below!
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NFTE Announces Winners of 2023-24
World Series of Innovation Competition | | |
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On April 15, NFTE revealed the winners of the 2023-2024 World Series of Innovation Competition (WSI), sponsored by Aramco and MetLife Foundation!
This year's competition saw 5,537 participants from 77 countries submit 1,814 innovations addressing six challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The United States, Saudi Arabia, and India had the highest number of participants, with the Aramco Connected Cities Challenge receiving the most submissions, followed by the BMO Biodiversity Challenge. Eighteen teams were selected as winners for their innovative solutions in health, education, and economic development.
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NFTE Launches Read-Along Companion to Enhance Curriculum Accessibility | | |
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The NFTE Read-Along Companion, inspired by our partnership with the Perkins School for the Blind and discussions with NFTE's Culturally Responsive Curriculum Task Force, aims to enhance the accessibility of NFTE's curriculum. This AI-powered tool makes it easier for people with vision impairments, reading difficulties, English language learners, and auditory learners to access our lessons. In addition, the Read-Along Companion supports students with Individualized Education Plans or 504 plans that require audiobooks.
The first program to feature the Read-Along Companion is ESB Prep, which prepares students for Certiport's Entrepreneurship & Small Business certification exam. We will expand this tool to other NFTE programs to provide all students with the necessary support to benefit from an entrepreneurial education.
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Kick Off the Competition Season with Us! | | |
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Are you ready for NFTE's annual Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge competition season? Join us for regional rounds in our seven U.S. regions! These competitions provide a platform for NFTE's top student entrepreneurs to pitch their innovative business ideas to a panel of VIP judges. At the end of the season, teams will be chosen to represent their region at the National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in New York City this October.
The regional competitions launch May 10 in Dallas and end June 18 in Philadelphia. RSVP now to watch in person and support local students competing for seed capital!
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In honor of Every Kid Healthy Week, we're highlighting a few NFTE students who pitched health-focused business ideas at last year's regional competitions:
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Bright by Felipe Escobar and Juan Varela — a mental health treatment that embeds AI chatbots, personal mental health support, and an extensive library of resources to help adolescents thrive emotionally.
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Pudding Buddies by Sasha Stoppi — a portable plush toy with built-in fidget toys for neurodivergent students.
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As students gear up for NFTE 2024 regional challenges and the high school graduation season, you can gear up too! Showcase Your #IamNFTE pride – whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, a supportive volunteer, a proud teacher or simply someone who wishes to fuel the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. NFTE’s Fuel a Future Swag Pop-up Shop is now open at nfte.com/shop. | |
Re-Dream NFTE: Empowering Our Team to Shape the Future | | |
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At NFTE, we believe in the power of entrepreneurship to transform lives and communities! With this vision in mind, we launched the Re-Dream NFTE initiative in September 2023. This initiative aims to re-invigorate and re-imagine our organization for 2024 and beyond.
With over half of our staff volunteering to serve on various committees, we've made amazing progress identifying opportunities for growth and innovation.
The committees have proposed a range of creative solutions, from programmatic changes to enhance our course offerings to strategic plans for long-term financial stability.
To learn more about the Re-Dream initiative and the work being done by our employee-led committees, read the full article on our website.
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Join us as we celebrate the contributions of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, recipient of the Entrepreneurial Leadership Award, at our upcoming NFTE Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards Gala!
Over the years, the Foundation has been an invaluable partner, instrumental in helping NFTE evolve its programs to meet the changing needs of students and the entrepreneurial landscape. With the Foundation’s support, we developed a modularized out-of-school-time program that expanded from the Midwest to many more communities around the world. Through its commitment to entrepreneurship and support of NFTE’s programs, the Foundation has directly contributed to fostering economic mobility and creating opportunities for youth from underserved communities to develop the knowledge, skills and real-world experience they need to succeed.
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Upcoming Event — Reserve Seats for May 1 | | |
There's less than a week left until our Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards Gala! On May 1, NFTE will honor Entrepreneurial Leadership Award recipients Preet Sabharwal, a NFTE alum, as well as Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, whose award will be presented to him by actor Joseph Sikora of the Starz series “Power Book IV: Force." Additionally, NFTE Board of Directors Chair Michael J. Kacsmar will receive the NFTE Legacy Award. Seating is limited. Visit nfte.com/gala to reserve your seat or table. | | | | |
