The North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC) will again be conducting the Youth Entrepreneurial Academy (YEA) on June 19-23, 2017. YEA is now entering its 20th year of providing a unique entrepreneurial education to 25-30 individuals. The academy has been re-designed to help students launch their own businesses with a chance to earn seed money using a new curriculum called Lean Canvas.

The NIACC JPEC extended invitations to all North Iowa high school students via area high school guidance counselors. Marketing materials and applications have been sent to all area schools. Applicants are asked to complete an application packet including a personal and parent recommendation followed by a student essay and interview with JPEC staff. The deadline to apply is Monday, May 8. Sign up soon, space is limited! The Academy will be held Monday-Friday from 8:30 am-4 pm daily. The objectives of the Youth Entrepreneurial Academy are to expose students to entrepreneurship, provide students with an opportunity to apply their skills and creativity, help students understand critical thinking skills and give students another career option of being a “job creator” instead of a “job taker.” Participants are eligible for an automatic $500 Youth Entrepreneurial Academy Scholarship if they choose to attend NIACC following their high school graduation. The students will receive gas cards to pay for the week’s travel from their homes and the NIACC Campus View Student Housing will also available for free. Additionally the four top business ideas will receive $500 in seed money for their businesses they develop during the week.

For more information, please contact Kelley Crane at the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at 641-422-4234 or kelley.crane@niacc.edu. The national NACCE Innovation Award-winning NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center provides comprehensive consulting services for business start-ups, existing industries and owner transitions in the North Iowa region. The NIACC Business Division offers 25 degrees, diplomas and certificates, including a degree and certificate in Entrepreneurship. On-site space is available for start-up businesses in the North Iowa Business Incubator located on the NIACC campus. For more information contact the NIACC JPEC at 641-422-4111 or NIACC Business Division at 641-422-4290.

# # #

Ref # 6128