4-H Youth Entrepreneurship receives national awards

Dec 10th, 2009 | By | Category: Campus News, December 10, 2009, Issue

A UNL 4-H program that teaches entrepreneurship to middle and high school students is attracting nationwide attention.

4-H’s EntrepreneurShip Investigation program received the Cathy Ashmore Leadership and Advocacy Award from the National Consortium of Entrepreneurship Investigation on Nov. 8 in Norfolk, Va. The award, named after the executive director of the consortium, recognizes outstanding entrepreneurship education nationally and internationally.

The ESI curriculum, developed by Nebraska 4-H, has been sold in 33 states and several foreign countries. It consists of three unit booklets – the first raises awareness of entrepreneurship, the second helps children discover the entrepreneur in themselves, and the third addresses basic financial steps to help build a business.

Earlier this year the program received an award from the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals for excellence in community development programming. In addition, the Nebraska Career Education Association presented its Outstanding Business/Industry Partnership award to the program this summer.

The ESI curriculum is presented in 4-H clubs, middle and high school classes and after-school programs and camps. 4-H works with several outside agencies, including the Nebraska Department of Education, to promote the program.

One outside collaborator received a grant to take more than 20 children through the program for nine months. Fourteen businesses were formed as a result.

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