About Youth Business Week

GOALS AND MISSION

Youth Business Week (YBW) supports teens in preparing for the reality of work and business. School curriculum teaches teens "to learn how to learn," and YBW offers students an enhanced "hands-on" approach to learning with a focus on financial literacy, both corporate and personal. Incorporating interactive teaching methods into education is a real world teaching tool which expedites student understanding of concepts and their applications. Whatever their career interest - science, engineering, agriculture, law, health, construction, trades, environmental issues, technology or the arts - students need to be familiar with the inner workings of business.

The staff of YBW pursues speakers, presentations and activities that incorporate a multifaceted approach to the personal and professional aspects of business. YBW works diligently to increase the collaboration between the business and education communities in Sonoma County. This collaboration helps students focus their career goals and provides a ready and able future workforce for local businesses.

YOUTH BUSINESS WEEK MISSION

Our mission is to enhance the understanding of California's youth about their future role in the American free enterprise system by delivering high-quality and practical hands-on learning experiences.

WHAT IS YOUTH BUSINESS WEEK?

Youth Business Week is a hands-on learning experience for teens. YBW 2008 will be held on the campus of Empire College in Santa Rosa and will immerse teens in discussions, decision-making and role-playing exercises, field trips to local business sites, presentations, computer simulations and work groups.

Students form a number of "companies," each assigned a Company Advisor who supports the Company while serving in the role of coach and mentor for the entire week. Each company explores the week as a team by attending and participating in a number of business computer simulations, workshops and seminars. YBW 2008 will offer three Career Pathways from which students can choose. Those Pathways are: Health and Technology, Traditional YBW, and Construction/Trades and Utilities. Each Pathway will consist of four companies comprised of ten students each, all competing against one another, by pathway, to design the most effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly product!

Professional educators and business experts present topics on workday ethics, professionalism, leadership, basic economic principles and the concept of teamwork. Students compete throughout the week to see which company, by Pathway, will be the most successful. Assuming the various roles of company staff, such as CEO, CFO, and Marketing Team, company members make decisions about product, price, marketing, research and development, plant investment, labor and personnel issues and borrowing and investing money. Company members learn to read financial statements, manage a balance sheet and understand cost accounting. More importantly, the definition of profitability is expanded to include community involvement, ethics and integrity, leadership and management.

WHY YOUTH BUSINESS WEEK?

California can greatly benefit from investing in the economic future of its youth. Many teens today question the underlying values around economics and have not been taught an understanding of the role of economics in daily business activities. Many high school students do not receive an introduction to economic theory and its applications. Teens often lack an understanding and appreciation for entrepreneurship, efficiency, competition and business planning and development. Youth Business Week gives teens unique opportunities to understand the inner workings of business while creating a business and product that follows a career pathway in which they are interested, excited and soon to be engaged!

WHEN IS IT?

Youth Business Week 2008 will be held June 28 – July 2, 2008 on the campus of Empire College in Santa Rosa, California. Registration is from 9am to 10am on Saturday, June 28. Closing ceremonies will be held at 5pm July 2. 2008!

WHERE IS IT?

Youth Business Week 2008 will be on the campus of Empire College in Santa Rosa, California. Empire College is located at 3035 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa, Ca 95403. Parking is free!

WHO IS PARTICIPATING?

Students

Selection for YBW is based on a number of factors. Students must complete the application and submit with the full registration fee, demographics form, and a three paragraph essay stating reasons why you are interested in joining us for YBW 2008. A limited number of partial financial aid packages are available. Students requesting financial aid must submit with registration materials parent(s) most recent taxpayer information. Students will be interviewed by an interview panel comprised of members of the Pathway which students choose. Interviews will take place from February through April, and students will be accepted on a first come, first accepted basis. We have room for 130 students this year, with each pathway consisting of approximately 44 students (four companies per pathway). When each pathway is filled, students will be placed on a waiting list. Previous business related experience or course work or a minimum GPA are not required. Entering sophomores (2008 school year) through recently graduated high school seniors are eligible for program participation. All Sonoma County high school teens are invited to apply.

Advisors

Company Advisors are chosen from local business volunteers, educators, and college students who wish to participate. Company Advisors will reflect the YBW 2008 Pathways and will make a one-week commitment to an individual "company" to mentor students as they execute each business-related task and learn to manage their companies.