May 16, 2008

Media Advisory -- Business Plan Presentations

The fruits of a yearlong youth entrepreneurship development project guided by Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center will be evident during a pair of special presentations at Lewis School in Carbondale next week.

Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to visit the school May 19 and 21 as 53 youths present the personal business plans they created to a panel of judges. The presentations by fifth graders are 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. May 19 while fourth-graders will present their plans 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. May 21. Winners from each grade will receive awards during the Lewis School awards assembly May 29.

The Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center, within SIUC's Office of Economic and Regional Development, worked extensively with the students and Betsy Brown, Lewis School's academically talented program teacher, throughout the school year. The center helped develop the curriculum, assisted Brown in directing the program and sponsored a number of special events including an etiquette dinner, a marketing and logo lesson, an international luncheon and a sales event at the Carbondale Farmer's Market.

Essentially, the youth entrepreneurship program gives youngsters access to the numerous services the Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center provides to business clients throughout the region in hopes that someday it will aid the youths in launching successful businesses of their own.

For more information about the innovative youth program, contact the Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center at 618/453-3805 or visit online at www.siecenter.biz.