Local Chamber of Commerce Launches Youth Entrepreneur Program Thanks to Sam's Club & U.S. Chamber Foundation Funding

The Union County Economic Development Partnership received $5,000 in startup funds to launch the first Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) in the Marysville region. The donation -- $2,500 from Sam’s Club, matched by $2,500 from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) – opens doors for area students ages 11 to 18 to go through the process of starting and launching a real business or social movement over the course of an academic year.

YEA! is an innovative after-school educational program that works to transform middle and high school students into confident entrepreneurs. By the end of the class, students own and operate fully-formed and functioning businesses, which may be carried on after their graduation from the program. YEA! classes will be run by the Union County Chamber of Commerce and hosted at Marysville Early Collge High School from November 2015 to May 2016.

Sam’s Club, USCCF and YEA! joined forces earlier this year to educate youth about entrepreneurship in more than 100 U.S. communities. As a result of the collaboration, 13 new YEA! chapters will launch in fall 2015 with the support of local Chambers of Commerce and the business community.

For more information or to apply today, visit yeausa.org or contact Chaz Freutel, YEA! Program Manager, at chaz@get-u-connected.com or call 614-989-2429.

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The Young Entrepreneurs Academy

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a 501(C) 3 offering groundbreaking year-long classes that teach middle and high school students how to start and run their own businesses. Throughout the class, students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, pitch their plans to a panel of investors for startup funds, and launch and run their own, fully formed companies and social movements. The project-based program empowers students to take charge of their futures.

Founded in 2004 at the University of Rochester with support from the Kauffman Foundation, YEA! today serves thousands of students nationwide. In 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation 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.

YEA! bridges the business and educational communities to fulfill its mission of teaching more students how to make a job, not just take a job. YEA! is made possible by the Kauffman Foundation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the E. Philip Saunders Foundation. For more information, visit yeausa.org.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness and educating the public on how the free enterprise system improves society and the economy.

It is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

About Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club®, a division of Walmart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is a leading membership warehouse club offering savings and benefits to millions of members in 653 clubs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Sam’s Club offers affordable access to innovative benefits for families and small business owners, including travel, payroll and HR services, online marketing and legal solutions, cash rewards and more. To learn more about saving time and money with Sam’s Club, visit www.SamsClub.com/benefits.