Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute . Local individuals and community partners provide students with an interactive learning experience and exposure to entrepreneurship. To address the changing needs of the economy, the emergence of technological advancements, and the economic shifts in communities across the country, the Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute program provides a comprehensive approach to entrepreneurial development and economic education.
In addition to entrepreneurial development, the program includes a three-phase training program designed to assist youth in both their personal and professional development. During the first phase of the program, Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute participants enroll in the five (5) week Summer Institute. Using an interactive business curriculum designed by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute participants learn business skills such as marketing, finance, goal setting, organizational development, technological advancements and leadership, incorporating this information into a written business plan for a business they create.
In the second phase, the Saturday Business Institute provides additional business development resources, leadership training, and professional and personal development. Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute participants meet one Saturday a month from September-April to engage in interactive sessions with experts from the business world to learn innovative strategies to improve their business. Participants partake in roundtable discussion groups to share their entrepreneur experiences and their ideas on business development. The Mentoring Program pairs participants with mentors in a one-on-one relationship over a prolonged period of time to provide consistent support, guidance and to help participants develop their entrepreneurial interest. Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute participants learn how to recruit their own mentors and develop long-term mentor-mentee relationships. Mentors participating in the program will represent a cross section of the local business community. During this phase of the program, Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute participants become members of the national Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute Alumni Association that provides a forum for graduates of the program to continue their peer-to-peer empowerment in entrepreneurial development. The alumni association also tracks the success of participants and provides an opportunity for participants to continue communication through quarterly newsletters that highlight their accomplishments in academics and entrepreneurship.
In the final phase of the program, Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute participants who have been in the program for a full year are eligible to participate in an advanced Summer Business Internship program. Reginald F. Lewis Youth Entrepreneurial Institute participants selected for this phase of the program gain practical work experience in an actual business environment engaging in Comparative Business Analysis case studies on their particular internship site. Participants have an opportunity to interview professionals and executives while working in a corporate environment and documenting their valuable experiences in a weekly journal. This intensive program prepares young entrepreneurs to analyze different business and organizational structures and exchange information with their peers exchanging business management strategies and operations.
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