Jobs Created as a Result of Bridge the Gap Global Entrepreneurship Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) November 30, 2009 -- As part of the Chicago area participation in Global Entrepreneurship Week, The Latino Breakfast Club (LBC) and Chicago Hope Academy (Hope) held an event, “Bridging the Gap,” on November 18th, 2009. More than sixty students, teachers, and business leaders gathered to celebrate entrepreneurship.

The event was opened with welcoming remarks from Richard Martinez, Founder of The Latino Breakfast Club, and Bob Muzikowski, Founder of Chicago Hope Academy. Then the students were mentored by five inspiring business leaders, including: Ms. Alex Alvarado, Geralex Cleaning; Warner Cruz, JC Restoration Services; Mike Saltijeral, Industrial Fence Inc.; Mark Handy, Kenjiva; Matthew Sapaula, Money Smart Radio.

“These speakers demonstrated how faith in God and successful entrepreneurship go hand in hand. We live in a world where people are often expected to compromise their principles in business, so it’s important for these students to learn early the value of integrity and service,” said Aurora Reinke, event organizer and Board member of the LBC. The speakers, along with others in attendance, also showed their commitment to the students by donating gift cards and books as prizes.

One of the goals of the event was to explore how Hope can develop sustainable programs for young entrepreneurs. This event bridged the theoretical and the practical as two business participants offered an internship with their company for next summer. George Kinnison and Ron Barrett, of Applied Controls & Contracting, generously offered this position as part of their philosophy to serve the community in the context of their everyday business practices. The students are now focusing on interview skills in their economics class; this gives them a real life application of that learning as they compete for the internship.

During last semester, the senior economics class at Hope had a business plan competition. Teams of two or three students each wrote thirty page business plan for ideas ranging from bakeries and custom fashion designs to energy drinks and computer services. At the event, the winning team gave an overview of their plan and received trophies, courtesy of F&M Awards. The event also consisted of an Elevator Pitch competition. Each student had to deliver a one-minute elevator pitch about the business for which they completed a plan.

The event was the launch point of many new relationships between business people and students. More events highlighting and encouraging entrepreneurship at Hope will be planned.

About The Latino Breakfast Club: The LBC is an emerging national Christian-Latino Business Association whose mission is to be the bridge that connects faith to the marketplace. To learn more, visit www.latinobreakfastclub.org.

About Chicago Hope Academy: Hope is a co-educational, non-denominational college and life preparatory school dedicated to nurturing and challenging the whole person - mind, body and spirit - to the glory of God. To learn more, visit www.chicagohopeacademy.com.

About Global Entrepreneurship Week: From November 16-22, 2009, millions of young people from more than 75 countries around the world will join a growing movement of entrepreneurs, to unleash their enterprising ideas. GEW is founded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in the U.W. and Make Your Mark in the U.K. Learn more at www.unleashingideas.org.

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