The Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber announced Monday that the first Young Entrepreneurs Academy in the state is coming to Mercer County.
The county is partnering with The College of New Jersey to bring entrepreneurship education to Mercer County high school students. The program, also known as YEA!, will give 30 students the opportunity to become real-life entrepreneurs. Weekly classes are held on campus at TCNJ on Tuesday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m.
YEA! is a 30-week experiential learning program first established in 2004 at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. Since then, it has expanded to 38 states. The YEA! program in Mercer County will be the first of its kind in New Jersey. Throughout the program, students selected through an application process meet once a week to generate business ideas, conduct market research, write a business plan, pitch to a panel of investors, and launch their own business.
Each weekly class is taught by a volunteer instructor from the local business community, and the curriculum includes field trips to learn about local businesses, as well as guest speakers with subject matter expertise to share with the students. Each YEA! student is assigned a mentor to help bring their vision to life.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship are hallmarks of our regional business community, and the Chamber is excited to see what happens when we extend this opportunity to local high school students,” said Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Hal English.
“Our local businesses form the backbone of our economy, and with the YEA! program the Chamber is connecting our next generation of entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills they’ll need to succeed,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson. “I can’t wait to see the businesses that these students build.”
YEA! programs across the country have produced countless success stories, including Rachel Zeitz who went on to graduate from Princeton University while continuing to build the business she founded through YEA! at the age of 13 – Gladiator Lacrosse. Other YEA! entrepreneurs include Asad Muhammad who established Taste of Supreme Bakery, specializing in all-natural baked goods in Rochester, NY; and Brandon Boynton who is now the CEO of MostBeastlyStudios, LLC, the mobile application development suite he developed while a part of YEA!
The program is currently accepting applications. Students who attend a high school in Mercer County are eligible to apply. Tuition for YEA! is $995 and includes all program materials, field trips, events, and supplies. Scholarships are available for students with demonstrated need, and the YEA! team can assist with transportation challenges as needed.
YEA! is underwritten by local businesses and organizations. Sponsors of the program include One Simple Wish, NJM Insurance Group, FirstBank Charitable Foundation, Stark & Stark, and Nottingham Insurance, as of press time.
