Released June 6, 2008

Learn how two states work with youth to encourage future entrepreneurs for their communities.

Kentucky State University has a seven-day entrepreneur residential camp for high school students. They leave campus with a business plan for starting their own business—and the confidence to implement that plan. The campers present their business plans and commercials to a panel of judges from various businesses. The judges award recipients for the best team plan, presentation and team commercial. The campers vote to select the ‘Most Likely to Become an Entrepreneur’.

North Dakota’s Marketplace for Kids demonstrates the special role of youth in improving the economic future of communities. Marketplace for Kids is an educational program offering encouragement for developing entrepreneurs. It provides young people with a forum to present and explain their projects which are demonstrating entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity. The program provides classes and educational exhibits to help young people develop business skills, enhance personal development and build friendships with other future leaders. http://www.marketplaceforkids.org/site/content/view/109/147/

Gae Broadwater, Kentucky State Extension Specialist, and Mark Johnson with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development will provide details and answer questions on the Youth Entrepreneurship Program Camp. Marilyn Kipp, Executive Director of Marketplace for Kids, will explain the North Dakota program.

Free and open to everyone

The June 18 program begins at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The program is an hour long. The Web meeting room opens 15 minutes before the start time. Go to http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/ecop/ to view. Newcomers to online learning are invited.

Seminar host

Entrepreneurs and Their Communities is a national effort of eXtension, http://www.extension.org. In many communities, entrepreneurship is emerging as a critical strategy to complement the industrial recruitment and business retention and expansion efforts. The entrepreneurs eXtension Web site is a growing resource center for local leaders, business representatives, government officials, service providers, nonprofit organizations, education officials and others.

A team of extension specialists and researchers working in land-grant universities across the country contribute the content. Resources include frequently asked questions, information briefs, research highlights and a calendar of events.

eXtension

eXtension is an educational partnership helping Americans improve their lives with access to timely, objective, research-based information and educational opportunities. eXtension’s interactive Web site, http://www.extension.org, is customized with links to local Cooperative Extension Web sites. Land-grant colleges were founded on the ideals that higher education should be accessible to all, that colleges should teach liberal and practical subjects and share knowledge with people throughout their states.

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Contacts: Mary Peabody, University of Vermont, (802) 223-2389 extension 13, mary.peabody@uvm.edu

Lynette Spicer, Iowa State University, (515) 294-1327, lspicer@iastate.edu