The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Philadelphia Metro Area has its finals May 16th! Take a look at the video to learn more about the program and see who’s advancing on the road to nationals!

John Polk – Interim Director for NFTE Philadelphia Metro
Danice Ferguson Program Director fro NFTE Philadelphia Metro
Neferteri Raynor – Student, Creator of Opulent

THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS… FROM ALL KINDS OF BACKGROUNDS… ARE PRESENTING IN THE NETWORK FOR TEACHING ENTREPRENEURSHIP – OR NFTE – CHALLENGES AROUND THE COUNTRY – TRYING TO WIN SEED MONEY FOR THEIR BUSINESS IDEAS.

HERE IN PHILLY – THE COMPETITION IS WELL UNDERWAY.

Neferteri "I’m presenting my own cosmetic line for women of any age race or color because in makeup can’t embrace beauty because they can’t find correct tones based on undertones and textures

17 YEAR OLD NEFERTERI RAYNOR SAYS HER IDEA CAME FROM A LACK OF CONFIDENCE.

Neferteri You could say, ‘oh it’s just makeup.’ It was so hard to feel good in my own skin, and I always wondered why there’s never enough tones for darker girls or really really pale women.

For a lot of these kids, its validation of themselves. They don’t necessarily get the opportunity to present in front of businesspeople in a setting like this, so they can recognize they can do this.

PROGRAM MANAGER DANICE FERGUSON SAYS AFTER WORKING YEARS IN CORPORATE AND FOLLOWING HER PASSION INTO TEACHING – SHE SEES THE FUTURE BENEFIT FOR ALL OF THESE STUDENTS.

Every student should have opp to really build on themselves and understand skills workforce is looking for.

Employers are not only looking for kids who are smart but they’re looking for kids who are creative, that can problem solve, and kids that have grit and NFTE brings that out of kids.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR JOHN POLK SAYS GETTING TO PRESENT IN FRONT OF JUDGES, MANY OF WHOM OWN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES, GIVES STUDENTS AN EARLIER LEG UP IN LIFE.

I think it’s really about the exposure that students get with this program; it’s really incredible. You become what you see, and students who don’t get that opportunity or historically don’t get that opportunity to see many things outside of their 4-5 block radius they grew up on. This program is just exceptional for that. I had experience where I was exposed companies, to traveling and different career paths at a very early age, and it really just changed the trajectory of my life. I think NFTE shares that value system and really implements that with kids.

It teaches you as I’m trying to teach you guys on why I should be apart of NFTE and why you should fund me, they’re teaching me on how to be a better entrepreneur and how to grow.

RAYNOR SAYS THAT GROWTH HAS LEAD HER TO BIG FUTURE PLANS.

I plan on going to the army training corps this summer and joining the army reserves to become a soldier this year.

THE NFTE HAS ENTREPRENEURIAL CURRICULUMS IN PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ON MAY 16TH – THE THREE FINALISTS IN THE PHILADELPHIA METRO AREA WILL COMPETE FOR FINANCIAL BACKING FOR THEIR BUSINESSES AND THE CHANCE TO QUALIFY TO ADVANCE TO THE NATIONAL COMPETITION THIS FALL WHERE THEY WILL GO HEAD TO HEAD WITH THE BEST YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND VIE FOR LARGER CASH PRIZES.