Atlanta Public Schools and Georgia-Pacific Announce Entrepreneurship Program for Students
Posted on: Thursday, 30 August 2007, 15:16 CDT
ATLANTA, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta Public Schools (APS), in collaboration with Georgia-Pacific LLC, today announced the launch of Youth Entrepreneurs(TM) of Atlanta (YE-Atl), a privately funded entrepreneur program for high school juniors and seniors at select Atlanta Public schools.
Funded by Georgia-Pacific, YE-Atl classes began last school year at Benjamin E. Mays and Southside high schools. For the 2007-2008 academic year, the initiative is expanding to include three more schools -- Henry W. Grady, Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington.
"We are delighted to have Youth Entrepreneurs of Atlanta in the Atlanta Public Schools," APS Superintendent Dr. Beverly L. Hall said in announcing the launch. "As we move to transform all of our large, comprehensive high schools into smaller schools that can better prepare our young people to compete in today's global marketplace, the program adds another dimension to the skill set that will give them one more advantage. Although this initiative is only a year old, we already are seeing signs of success. The program has had an impact on literacy, critical thinking and cognitive reasoning. So we are proud and pleased to welcome the expansion of Youth Entrepreneurs of Atlanta into three more APS high schools."
Open to all students and participating schools, YE-Atl is offered as a business elective. The program uses a nationally certified curriculum from the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), along with hands-on learning activities and business community involvement, to bring out the entrepreneurial talent each student possesses. Students receive credit for the class just as they would for any other elective, but it is the "learning by doing," extracurricular activities and financial opportunities that set this program apart.
"YE-Atl is unique because it uses the classroom, the marketplace and the experience of successful Atlanta entrepreneurs to create a real-life laboratory for entrepreneurship," said JaKathryn Ross, Youth Entrepreneurs of Atlanta's Executive Director. "We have seen the way students think about business transformed. Whether they start what will become a Fortune 500 company or not, now they are better able to understand how their skills are the keys for creating long-term value -- for themselves and for society."
The Youth Entrepreneurs program was initiated in Wichita, Kansas, during the 1991-1992 school year, by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas has since expanded into 19 high schools in Wichita, as well as several high schools in Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City, Kansas. When Koch Industries acquired Georgia-Pacific in December 2005, there was strong interest in expanding the entrepreneurship education program into the metro Atlanta area.
"Nothing is more important to our future than a well-trained, well- educated workforce that is ready to compete in the real world," said Sam A. Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. "Atlanta Public
Schools, in partnership with Georgia-Pacific, is offering students a path to become future business leaders in our community and the global marketplace."
About Atlanta Public Schools
The Atlanta Public Schools System has an enrollment of 50,000 students who attend 96 traditional schools; 75 percent of the students qualify for free and reduced meals. The district employs 6,631 full-time personnel, including 3,643 teachers. The mission of Atlanta Public Schools is to focus talents and resources on ensuring that APS students are successful in school and in life. Dr. Beverly L. Hall has served as superintendent since July 1999.
About Georgia Pacific
Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of tissue, packaging, paper, cellulose, building products, and related chemicals. The company employs approximately 50,000 people at more than 300 locations in North America, South America and Europe. Familiar brands include Quilted Northern(R), Angel Soft(R), Brawny(R), Sparkle(R), Vanity Fair(R), Dixie(R) brand of disposable cups, plates and cutlery, Plytanium(R), Ply-Bead(R), DensArmor Plus(R) and DensGlass Gold(R). For more information, visit http://www.gp.com/.
About The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MACOC) -- with our 4,000 member companies that collectively employ more than 700,000 workers -- is a catalyst for a vibrant metro region. The Metro Atlanta Chamber focuses on the issues that matter most to the business community: quality jobs and quality of life.
About National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
Founded in 1987 by Steve Mariotti (a former business executive and entrepreneur) while he was a public high school teacher in New York City's South Bronx, the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE, pronounced "nifty") began as a dropout prevention and academic performance improvement program for students who were at risk of failing or quitting school.
Atlanta Public Schools and Georgia-Pacific LLC
CONTACT: Esther Campi of Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce,+1-404-586-8474, ecampi@macoc.com; Joe Manguno of Atlanta Public Schools,+1-404-802-2829, jmanguno@atlanta.k12.ga.us; James C. Malone ofGeorgia-Pacific LLC, +1-404-652-6031, jcmalone@gapac.com
Web site: http://www.atlanta.k12.ga.us/content/apshome.aspxhttp://www.gp.com/
Source: PRNewswire
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