At PeopleFund, we’re always trying to reach more members of the Austin community with our message of financial literacy and economic independence. In partnership with Eastside Memorial High School, the JET Program is a recent venture of our organization to empower East Austin youth, an often overlooked group of future business and community leaders.
Over the course of four weeks, our program provides students with the real experience, tangible skills and confidence to pursue business and entrepreneurial activities, including those they may not have considered in technology and engineering. We’ve designed our curriculum so students are not only applying financial and business concepts to their projects, but also discovering the possibilities that skills in science, technology, engineering and math can offer. Last year, each of our students:
- participated in intensive workshop training in business management and entrepreneurial training
- designed their own marketing campaign and strategy
- created a 17-page business plan, complete with an executive summary, detailed SWOT analysis and growth projections
- presented their work before a panel of community business leaders, including financial advisors, community advocates and business owners
This year, we’re expanding the JET program to include 120 students and more programs than ever before. Right now, we’re in the process of raising funds and community support to hire more instructors, purchase and upgrade software to put in the hands of students, and reach out to a broader base of students to empower with the spirit of entrepreneurship.
If you’d like to get involved, make a donation and/or volunteer, contact Allen Rogers at Allen@PeopleFund.org.
The JET Program began with students from Eastside Memorial (formerly Johnston HS) and is expanding to Reagan HS and Stony Point in Round Rock this summer.