NEW ORLEANS – Tomorrow, Friday, March 24, as part of New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, Junior Achievement and the Brees Dream Foundation will present the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge (TYCIC), an entrepreneurial program and competition for high school students.
Students from around the Greater New Orleans area completed the JA Be Entrepreneurial curriculum, a hands-on, experiential learning program that guides students through the elements of a business plan. The judges will determine overall program winners based on the teams' business pitches and focus on creativity and future sustainability within the community.
This year's program will include The Perkin Venture Forward Company of the Year Awards Presentation, Roundtable Discussion for Students Interested in Entrepreneurship and the TYCIC State Competition at the AOS Stage, at the Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., from 12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
On Friday, March 17, Mount Carmel Academy seniors Isabel Caballero and Madeleine Erickson were named the 2017 Greater New Orleans TYCIC winners with their business plan for Effortless Activewear. The Effortless Activewear sports bra, named The Helene Bra, is equipped with convenient side clasps under each arm that one can put on and take off easily. The duo secured $5,000 in continuing education funds and a spot in state competition Friday.
The TYCIC, which is now in its fourth year, inspires students to dream of starting their own business that will make a difference in their community and/ or answer a need in the marketplace.
"The Challenge is about more than creating a business plan," said Drew Brees, co-founder of the Brees Dream Foundation. "It is designed to educate, motivate and inspire students by giving them valuable communication and presentation skills that will help them in every aspect of life. It's all about inspiring the kids!"
Nearly 600 students from around the greater New Orleans area completed the JA Be Entrepreneurial curriculum. The semi-finalists participated in the JA Idea Accelerator 8-week workshop series, during which they worked with mentors, discussed the fundamentals of business and learned the art of the pitch.
"Now more than ever to continue the transformation of New Orleans, we need to prepare our young people to carry the torch of entrepreneurship," said Larry Washington, president of JA. "The Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge helps them to see their roles as future entrepreneurs and challenges them to fill a specific need within their community."
On Friday, Mount Carmel Academy’s Caballero and Erickson will compete against the winners from Baton Rouge, Shreveport and a local Wild Card recipient for an additional $10,000 toward their continuing education. The winner's school will also receive $5,000 for supporting its student's entrepreneurial spirit. The three runner-up teams will each receive $2,500 in continuing education support and their schools will each receive $2,500.
Regardless of the outcome, Caballero and Erickson said they are pursuing a patent for Effortless Activewear. The two students are well acquainted with the TYCIC – Erickson's twin sister, Sissel Erickson, was part of the last year's winning duo and Caballero participated in the challenge during her freshman year at Mt. Carmel. Both Caballero and Erickson will matriculate at Louisiana State University in the fall.
