Startup Teen organizers Taylor Chavez & Thomas Abeyta with NMTC Community Manager Eric Renz-Whitmore and Bosque Schools’ Marisa Gay

Keeping kids in school and learning (which helps them lead better, healthier, better compensated lives) is largely a matter of making learning more relevant. The lean startup approach has been doing a great job of that, getting many young people and proving some necessity for math, science and communications skills. And since we also want to encourage more entrepreneurial ‘culture’ teaching kids about entrepreneurial opportunities early on can make a big difference in all sorts of ways. 

That’s why we’re so excited about the forthcoming Startup Teen Entrepreneurs program from the same dynamic folks who brought us the world’s first Startup Weekend by teens for teens. Here are the basics (http://www.startupteen.com):

The Startup Teen Entrepreneurs Summer Program for high school students in 9th-12th grades.

The program is July 14-18, 2014. This program will emulate Startup Weekend Teen Albuquerque. High school students will follow the global grassroots movement, Startup Weekend, of active and empowered community leaders and entrepreneurs, who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful business ventures. This week-long program will focus on economic development and business start ups all designed and created by teens. Beginning with overviews of the economic scenario in New Mexico, leading to open-mic pitches and business development, and finally presenting the business plans to a panel of judges, attendees will learn and create what millions of Americans only dream about doing. The students will learn about customer development, validating their ideas, marketing, programming, practicing LEAN Startup methodologies, and ultimately building a minimal viable product.

Cost for the week is $145, but scholarships and other ways to make attending easier are available. Find more info and registration at: http://startupteen.com/

See a video interview from uPublic’s “The Morning Brew with Larry Ahrens” featuring student organizer Thomas Abeyta and Bosque School Director of Communications, Marisa Gay HERE.

If you have kids of your own or in your extended family – or know of others who do, please consider passing this along!