NEW ORLEANS – Junior Achievement and the Brees Dream Foundation will present the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge finals at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week 2015 this Saturday, March 21, 2015, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Manning’s Restaurant, 519 Fulton St., in New Orleans.
The host of the entrepreneurial pitch competition will be Julia Stewart, Director of Programs at Propeller: A Source for Social Innovation. The panel of judges include: Suzanne Alford, Vice President/ Art Director at Alford Advertising; Dwayne G. Bernal, President and Chief Executive at Royal Engineers and Consultants; Joan Y. Davis, Chancellor at Delgado Community College; Todd Matherne, Chief Executive Officer at Renaissance Publishing and Publisher of Biz New Orleans; John “Spud” McConnell, Professional Actor, Performer and Voice Talent; Nicolas R. Perkin, former CFO and Entrepreneur; and Tim Williamson, Co-Founder and CEO of The Idea Village.
Four teams of high school student entrepreneurs will pitch their business ideas in hopes of receiving $10,000 along with $2,500 to their schools to go towards future financial literacy education.
The goal of the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge is to promote the next generation of entrepreneurs. Students all throughout the Greater New Orleans area submitted their applications and four teams were selected to present at NOLA NEXT: Young Innovators Experience presented by The Idea Village and Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans.
Students are prepared for this venture through Junior Achievement’s Be Entrepreneurial (JA BE) curriculum: a hands-on, experiential learning program taught by business volunteers and teachers, resulting in a completed and practical business plan.
The Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans (JA) delivers a variety of educational programs in finance and economics presented to students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. During the 2013-2014 school year, JA, with its many volunteers, touched the lives of more than 28,000 Southeast Louisiana students.
The Brees Dream Foundation was founded in 2003 with a mission to advance research in the fight against cancer and to provide care, education, and opportunities for children and families in need. Brittany and Drew Brees and the Brees Dream Foundation have collectively contributed more than $20,000,000 to charitable causes and academic institutions globally.
