Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!)

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a national leader in youth entrepreneurship education, operating in communities nationwide. The Academy teaches middle and high school students how to start and run their own real businesses, transforming them into confident entrepreneurs through the process. YEA! students generate business ideas, conduct market research, write business plans, pitch to a panel of investors, and launch their very own companies through a innovative, projects-based curriculum with the help of local business professionals and community leaders. Students in YEA! work with one-on-one business mentors, hear from guest speakers representing a broad range of industries, and participate in dynamic business field trips. YEA! classes are supported through a variety of community organizations and foundations. Founded at the University of Rochester, NY in 2004 with support from the Kauffman foundation, YEA! has continued to expand to serve thousands of students in communities across America, in partnership with the United States Chamber of Commerce. With YEA!, students learn how to make a job, not just take one.