NFTE blog

Written by NFTE Philadelphia Executive Director Sylvia Watts McKinney.

Recent data shows that high school graduation rates have improved. But the high school dropout rate in the U.S. still stands at 8.1 percent, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

NFTE’s 2012 Winter Newsletter is now available. Find out how some NYC summer program students continue getting lessons in entrepreneurship and the reason they’re busy preparing for the month of April.

During today’s White House Science Fair, President Obama recognized the work of NFTE and of Hayley Hoverter, winner of the 2011 National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, presented by MasterCard Worldwide.

Hayley Hoverter, NFTE’s 2011 National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge winner, will participate in the White House Science Fair tomorrow, Tuesday, February 7.  Sweet (dis)SOLVE , Hayley’s creation, is a beverage sweetener made from organic sugar wrapped, not in paper, but in a soluble organic starch that melts into your drink without adding calories, odor or taste.

NFTE President & CEO Amy Rosen just returned from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. She had the opportunity to meet with many entrepreneurs, corporate and political leaders and discuss NFTE's global presence.

Amy with Ayman Asfari, GCE of Petrofac Limited, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and Jim Turley, Chairman & CEO of Ernst & Young.

Ten hardworking NFTE South Florida students and their teacher met Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on January 26.  Secretary Duncan honored the Miami Edison Senior High School students for winning NFTE’s World Series of Innovation with their businesses E*Pride and 300 Calories or Less.

NFTE alumni Ariell Buckingham and Kyle Wong just returned from Saudi Arabia where they served as panelists at the Global Competitiveness Forum.  Both participated in the “Innovation to Generation” panel.

Ariell shared her experiences in a blog post.

Two NFTE alumni, Kyle Wong (Brooklyn, NY) and Ariell Buckingham (Chicago), and NFTE President and CEO Amy Rosen are participating in the Global Competitiveness Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 21 to 25.

NFTE is excited announce the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® Alumni Fund.  Ernst & Young has pledged to match $300,000 in donations to NFTE during the next three years.  This commitment by E&Y is in honor of the more than 8,000 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year ® award winners.