In Good Company
Southwest Philadelphia Review writer, Lorraine Gennaro, wrote an article about nine high school students at the Academy of Palumbo in Philadelphia, PA, who are starting a business, Kiddie Katering. The students particated in a youth entrepreneurship program, The ELITE Group, managed by a non-profit organization, Empowerment Group, which teaches entrepreneurship skills to adults and youth in economically distressed communities. Kiddie Katering recently placed third in a business competition.
Philadelphia, PA, July 02, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Nine Academy at Palumbo High School students are looking to party. Well, plan the party, that is.
But their business, Kiddie Katering, has no customers and, in fact, doesn’t even have a phone number or location — yet.
Sophomores Brandon Alston, Maria Bonfiglio, Saad Gilani, John Earl Glenn 3d, Katia Jimenez, Ricardo Johnson, Lance Legarte, Nancy Le and Veronica Shad are well on their way to making their dream a reality because they walked away with third place and $1,500 to get Kiddie Katering up and running. The student project was part of the Elite Group, a 16-week youth entrepreneurship program of the Empowerment Group, a North Philly-based nonprofit that equips people with the tools to start and run their own enterprise.
Palumbo Principal Dr. Andrienne Chew is proud of her budding entrepreneurs.
“They worked very hard. They had to come up with everything on their own — the idea, the business plan, the research. I think they did a fantastic job. They worked as a team,” she said.
Since September, the program has been active in many citywide high schools of which Palumbo at 1112 Catharine St. is one. After Elite presents before the student body, interested kids sign up for the program with a maximum of 10 selected to participate. Grades are not a criteria for being chosen, Dan Cantor, Elite Group coordinator, said.
“We wanted to help teams of high school youths start their own businesses that would make a positive impact in the community,” Cantor told the Review, adding this is the organization’s first year reaching out to high-schoolers. “We were mostly looking for kids who really wanted to learn about business and start their own. If they didn’t have good grades, but were clear this was something they really wanted, that was really something that was more important to us.”
Elite instructors go on-site weekly to guide teams through the development of ideas into a written business plan. The Palumbo team met once a week after school from the first week in February through the end of May. Developing a business plan is just one thing the youths learn, along with determining profit and loss for the business. Kiddie Katering’s 26-page plan was the road map for operating their business. During the months of planning and developing, the students raised $500 through candy sales that will go towards start-up costs.
Geared toward ages 3 to 10, Kiddie Katering will plan birthday parties for a fee. Students would meet with parents to devise the food, decorations and entertainment. If the child is into SpongeBob SquarePants, for example, a celebration might be planned around that character with matching decorations, plates, etc.
To drum up business and as community outreach to bring together kids for networking and to meet new pals, the company proposed one free bash a month at yet-to-be-determined locations.
Palumbo was one of eight teams citywide, all consisting of about six to 10 students, and the only one from this area to compete in the May 28 business competition at Temple University. The entrepreneurs worked as a group outside of any established school club or organization.
Through a PowerPoint presentation, the team unveiled Kiddie Katering before a panel of judges that included Leanne Krueger-Braneky, executive director of Sustainable Business Network of Philadelphia; Andrea Giles, business development specialist for Philadelphia U.S. Small Business Administration; and Russell Snow, president of www.VisuallyKool.com, a Web site development service for small businesses.
Teams had a 12-minute cap on presentations and were judged on marketing strategy, depth of market research and customer base, among other things, Cantor said. The two biggest criteria were finance development, which included a profit/loss statement showing how profitable the business would be, and community impact, identifying any potentially negative impacts and how to handle them.
In the case of Kiddie Katering’s party-planning business, paper plates and decorations would be waste requiring disposal, Cantor said, adding the organization will work to lessen its environmental impact by buying biodegradable and recycled paper products.
In the end, Imhotep Charter in West Oak Lane earned first place and $5,000 for its tutoring and mentoring service with high-schoolers instructing middle and elementary pupils. Second place and $2,500 went to Science Leadership Academy in Center City for its T-shirt business plan for customized duds.
“Money is offered as an incentive to get teams to compete to develop the best new business plan,” Cantor said.
Students use the winning funds to get their businesses off the ground. Teams that did not place still made out well with $1,000 each.
Since Palumbo is a new school, established in 2006, the honor means even more, Chew said.
“For a group of students to connect with the Elite Group and to place third was remarkable. We’re making a statement here that our kids are involved and competitive and they intend to stay involved. They enjoy what they do and they do it well. I think that’s key,” the principal said.
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But their business, Kiddie Katering, has no customers and, in fact, doesn’t even have a phone number or location — yet.
Sophomores Brandon Alston, Maria Bonfiglio, Saad Gilani, John Earl Glenn 3d, Katia Jimenez, Ricardo Johnson, Lance Legarte, Nancy Le and Veronica Shad are well on their way to making their dream a reality because they walked away with third place and $1,500 to get Kiddie Katering up and running. The student project was part of the Elite Group, a 16-week youth entrepreneurship program of the Empowerment Group, a North Philly-based nonprofit that equips people with the tools to start and run their own enterprise.
Palumbo Principal Dr. Andrienne Chew is proud of her budding entrepreneurs.
“They worked very hard. They had to come up with everything on their own — the idea, the business plan, the research. I think they did a fantastic job. They worked as a team,” she said.
Since September, the program has been active in many citywide high schools of which Palumbo at 1112 Catharine St. is one. After Elite presents before the student body, interested kids sign up for the program with a maximum of 10 selected to participate. Grades are not a criteria for being chosen, Dan Cantor, Elite Group coordinator, said.
“We wanted to help teams of high school youths start their own businesses that would make a positive impact in the community,” Cantor told the Review, adding this is the organization’s first year reaching out to high-schoolers. “We were mostly looking for kids who really wanted to learn about business and start their own. If they didn’t have good grades, but were clear this was something they really wanted, that was really something that was more important to us.”
Elite instructors go on-site weekly to guide teams through the development of ideas into a written business plan. The Palumbo team met once a week after school from the first week in February through the end of May. Developing a business plan is just one thing the youths learn, along with determining profit and loss for the business. Kiddie Katering’s 26-page plan was the road map for operating their business. During the months of planning and developing, the students raised $500 through candy sales that will go towards start-up costs.
Geared toward ages 3 to 10, Kiddie Katering will plan birthday parties for a fee. Students would meet with parents to devise the food, decorations and entertainment. If the child is into SpongeBob SquarePants, for example, a celebration might be planned around that character with matching decorations, plates, etc.
To drum up business and as community outreach to bring together kids for networking and to meet new pals, the company proposed one free bash a month at yet-to-be-determined locations.
Palumbo was one of eight teams citywide, all consisting of about six to 10 students, and the only one from this area to compete in the May 28 business competition at Temple University. The entrepreneurs worked as a group outside of any established school club or organization.
Through a PowerPoint presentation, the team unveiled Kiddie Katering before a panel of judges that included Leanne Krueger-Braneky, executive director of Sustainable Business Network of Philadelphia; Andrea Giles, business development specialist for Philadelphia U.S. Small Business Administration; and Russell Snow, president of www.VisuallyKool.com, a Web site development service for small businesses.
Teams had a 12-minute cap on presentations and were judged on marketing strategy, depth of market research and customer base, among other things, Cantor said. The two biggest criteria were finance development, which included a profit/loss statement showing how profitable the business would be, and community impact, identifying any potentially negative impacts and how to handle them.
In the case of Kiddie Katering’s party-planning business, paper plates and decorations would be waste requiring disposal, Cantor said, adding the organization will work to lessen its environmental impact by buying biodegradable and recycled paper products.
In the end, Imhotep Charter in West Oak Lane earned first place and $5,000 for its tutoring and mentoring service with high-schoolers instructing middle and elementary pupils. Second place and $2,500 went to Science Leadership Academy in Center City for its T-shirt business plan for customized duds.
“Money is offered as an incentive to get teams to compete to develop the best new business plan,” Cantor said.
Students use the winning funds to get their businesses off the ground. Teams that did not place still made out well with $1,000 each.
Since Palumbo is a new school, established in 2006, the honor means even more, Chew said.
“For a group of students to connect with the Elite Group and to place third was remarkable. We’re making a statement here that our kids are involved and competitive and they intend to stay involved. They enjoy what they do and they do it well. I think that’s key,” the principal said.
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Contact
Empowerment Group
Helena Showell
215.427.9245, Ext. 303
empowerment-group.org
Helena Showell
215.427.9245, Ext. 303
empowerment-group.org
Contact
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