Being Entrepreneurial: being able to identify/convey/pursue opportunity, create a solution, assemble required resources, and implement a practical plan to deliver in a timely manner.
Entrepreneurial doesn’t have to mean “be the founder of a company” (although it is very exciting to many). Entrepreneurial doesn’t mean “forgo interest in robotics, or dancing, or writing, or fashion, or saving the world…” and become a business person instead. Being entrepreneurial means possessing a certain mindset and a collection of skills, and leveraging that combination to make greater impact on things that matter to you. An entrepreneurial mindset and skill set is applicable in a variety of settings, whether it’s a startup venture, a charitable organization, government, or in a large corporation.
Working with private/public schools and sectors to make academic education more connected to industry and community, Youth CITIES exposes young people to the mindset and principles of entrepreneurship. We prepare them to be leaders in their field, whether as founder or part of an innovative team, to identify, launch, and execute innovative products, services, and new ventures that contribute to socio-and economic value creation.
Focusing on middle and high school students, Youth CITIES provides a variety of programs that show students how to apply 21st century skills as future innovators:
- Strategic entrepreneurial problem-solving and decision-making (overcoming obstacles, opportunity recognition, stakeholder identification, resource reconciliation)
- Founder fundamentals (startup financial literacy, fundraising options, startup team creation, valuation)
- Communication and storytelling (elevator pitch, stakeholder presentation, peer collaboration, networking)
Youth CITIES provides classroom and experiential learning, tools, mentorship, a wide network of contacts, and funding opportunities to help students find innovative solutions to unmet needs. Not only does Youth CITIES harnesses the power of prominent industry practitioners to serve as instructors and mentors, we bring youth directly into the local innovation/entrepreneurial ecosystem.
In an effort to democratize entrepreneurial education, Youth CITIES brings together ambitious, hard-working students from any zip code (either through on-campus curriculum integration, out-of-school enrichment program participation, or combination of both) such as:
- Academy of the Pacific Rim, Boston
- Andover High School
- Beaver Country Day School, Chestnut Hill
- Belmont Day School
- Bishop Fenwick High School, Peabody
- Boston University Academy, Boston
- Boston Latin Academy
- Boston Latin School
- Boston Trinity Academy, Hyde Park
- BB&N, Cambridge
- Butler Middle School, Lowell
- Cambridge Rindge and Latin
- The Carroll School, Lincoln
- CATS Academy Boston
- Central Catholic High School, Lawrence
- Citizens School
- Community Academy of Science and Health, Dorchester
- Community Charter School of Cambridge
- Concord Carlisle High School
- Concord Middle School
- Dana Hall, Wellesley
- Dover-Sherborn High School
- Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, Boston
- Emily G. Wetherbee Middle School, Lawrence
- Epiphany School, Dorchester
- George Keverian School, Everett
- Greater Lawrence Technical School
- Hopkinton Middle School
- James W Hennigan School, Jamaica Plain
- John D. O’Bryant School of Math and Science, Roxbury
- Lawrence High School
- McCall Middle School, Winchester
- Notre Dame High School, Lawrence
- Phillips Academy, Andover
- The Pike School, Andover
- Putnam Ave Upper School, Cambridge
- Robert J. Murphy School, Dorchester
- Sage School, Foxboro
- Salem High School, Salem, NH
- Sanborn Middle School, Concord
- St. John’s Prep School, Danvers
- UP Academy Charter School, Boston
- Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Natick
- Wayland High School
- Wellesley High School
- West Middle School, Andover
- West Roxbury Academy
- William Diamond Middle School, Lexington
- Winchester High School
To learn about our various programs, please visit our Programs page. To inquire about integrating Youth CITIES curriculum (specializing in creative problem solving in context of innovation and entrepreneurship) on school campuses, please email Vicky at Vicky@youthcities.org
Youth Creating Impact Through Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability.