Dear Members,
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy has come to your county! We are thrilled to be introducing this exciting new program to Otsego County and wanted to let you know all about it!
The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce is honored to be partnering with Hartwick College and proud to be bringing this nationally successful program to our area. There are numerous ways for our local business leaders to get involved in this youth education program, but first here’s a brief description of what YEA! is:
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a groundbreaking and exciting year long class that transforms middle and high school students into real, confident entrepreneurs. Throughout the class, students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, pitch their plans to a panel of investors, and actually launch and run their own real, legal, fully formed companies and social movements. Complete with dynamic guest speakers from the local business community and exciting behind-the-scenes trips to local companies, the fun, projects-based YEA! approach empowers students to take charge of their futures in a profound way.
Founded in 2004 at the University of Rochester with support from the Kauffman Foundation, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy today serves thousands of students in communities across America. In 2011, the United States Chamber of Commerce and Campaign for Free Enterprise became a national sponsor and partner of the Academy to help celebrate the spirit of enterprise among today’s youth and tomorrow’s future leaders.
We are more than excited to revive the spirit of entrepreneurship in Otsego County young students! Classes begin in the fall. For more information on the YEA! program and how you can get involved, contact Barbara Ann Heegan at (607) 432-4500 Ext. 202 or e-mail info@otsegocc.com.
All the Best,
Barbara Ann Heegan
President & CEO
The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce
