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Young Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton Rouge
To support the future prosperity of Louisiana’s business community, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton Rouge is working to develop high school students in the Baton Rouge area into confident business leaders. With support from local business leaders, students spend the school year launching a business, while learning best practices and practical skills.
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Closing the Gap
There is no doubt that business and the entrepreneurial spirit are at the heart of the American dream. This is a place where anyone can build anything given the right opportunity and know-how. Headed by Deborah Sternberg, Young Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton Rouge is helping to provide Baton Rouge area high schoolers with those tools, launching the ambitions of Louisiana’s future business leaders. Recognizing a disconnect between workforce development and education many years ago, Deborah was inspired to find a way to bridge that gap for young people. After many conversations with local business leaders and colleagues, she found the solution in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy and collaborated with the national organization to establish a Baton Rouge chapter in 2018.
Education in Action
YEA BR is open to high school students from the nine-parish Greater Baton Rouge area and combines a proven national curriculum with the experiences of local business leaders, educators, community members, and entrepreneurs. Through experience-based programming, students are empowered to transform their ideas into enterprises and advance their ambitions.
This after-school program works to connect the students’ talents and interests to a potential business opportunity. Over the academic year, students create a business plan, develop a company brand, formally file the business with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office, and then launch their very own start-up.
Each spring, to conclude the program, students participate in a Shark Tank-like investor panel as they seek seed money to expand their businesses. Recently, 19 students pitched their ideas for a chance to win their share of $25,000 to help fund their start-up. Kayla Gibson, a senior at Liberty Magnet High School, was awarded top prize of $5,000 in seed funding for her business, Sweet Benefits, a concept that creates healthy versions of popular sweets by using vegetables and fruits. Additionally, Kayla won the opportunity to compete in the YEA USA National Pitch Competition later in the year.
Investing in Our Future
Partnerships play a key role in helping start-ups get off the ground. Deborah says that collaborative efforts have been paramount to the success of YEA BR. Together, with Louisiana Economic Development (LED), the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), and over 100 other businesses and individuals, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy has thrived. Since opening, YEA BR has graduated 79 students and launched over 66 start-ups in Louisiana. And as these participating students learn to develop and run an enterprise, the local and state economy grows and can enjoy future benefits.
The U.S. Small Business Administration notes a surge in new business applications in 2021, resulting in 5.8 million total submissions. Louisiana accounted for 107,292 applications, the 16th highest among states. That’s 2,308 applications for every 100,000 people in Louisiana, much higher than the national average. LED confirms these figures and anticipates an economic expansion that will be accompanied by a significant demand for skilled workers. To capitalize on these opportunities, not only are economic strategies needed, but also entities willing to play a leadership role in their development. YEA BR is doing just that and is proud to help develop this growth.
