2006 Microsoft YITC Challenge

General Information
Making the Business: Youth IT Challenge is a program developed in partnership between Microsoft and the National Urban League. Since 1997, Microsoft has worked with the National Urban League, one of the nation's oldest and largest community-based organizations empowering African Americans, to provide access to technology resources to its affiliates. This program is a demonstration of Microsoft's overall commitment to education and it is in line with our mission of ensuring young people are able to reach their full potential.

The Making the Business: Youth IT Challenge is a 10 week program beginning January 29, 2005 designed to engage minority boys and girls in the development of an original IT business idea. The program is intended to help students learn team and leadership skills, generate discussion about technology and learn how that technology can be used to create a business. The program also includes lessons around the development of a presentation and communication skills so that they can deliver their business plans successfully during local & national competitions. The goals of the program are to:

• Increase technology awareness and excitement among minority youth in our target cities;
• Provide ethnic youth usable skills in idea generation, written and verbal communications, analysis, budgeting and plan development;
• Begin to fill the IT work-force pipeline with minority youth.

Seattle YITC 2006 Student Participants Selected!

Nathaniel Gonzales, Jemica Florence, Patrick Leahy,Mohamed Mohamed,Jessica Young, Jessica Young Shona Shaw, Nakia Slayton, Joanne Duong, Lenssa Nemomssa, Hoang Lam, Habiba Mohamed, Christopher Fujii,Zarha Mohamed, Aaron Chan, Niashay Slayton, Solomiya Zhuk, Anab Hersi, Warsan “Lucky” Shek, Marcus Flowers, Yusef Bashir.

Fact Sheet
Program Overview:

The Making the Business: Youth IT Challenge is a 10 week program designed to engage minority boys and girls in the development of an original IT business idea. The program is intended to help students learn team and leadership skills, generate discussion about technology and learn how that technology can be used to create a business. Program also includes lessons around the development of a presentation and communication skills so that they can deliver their business plans successfully during local & national competitions. The goals of the program are to:

• Increase technology awareness and excitement among minority youth in nine Microsoft geographies.
• Provide ethnic youth usable skills in idea generation, written and verbal communications, analysis, and budgeting and plan development.
• Begin to fill the IT work-force pipeline with minorities.

Competitions:

Criteria:

Participation:

• Minority high school boys and girls in Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Denver, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Washington DC, St. Paul and Philadelphia.
• Ages: 14-18 (High school freshmen thru seniors)
• GPA: minimum 2.5
• A Letter of Recommendation
• Essay: 250 words "If you had an opportunity to start your own business, what business would you choose and how would you leverage technology to build that business?"

Winning:

Thoughtful analysis, creative thinking and how well the students understand his or her business and its key success factors.

Curriculum:

Technology Awareness and Education

• Exploration of existing technologies, both Internet and desktop
• Field trips to see actual businesses with strong IT backbones
• Brainstorming to identify potential ideas for new business creation

Brainstorm & Idea Generation

• Learn process of brainstorming to create product/service
• Understand patent, trademark, legal review process
• Create product/service/business name

Business Plan Development

• Learn basic research techniques and market analysis to evaluate viability of ideas
• Learn basic plan elements/Understand budgeting and financials
• Develop presentation skills - written and verbal

Who is Behind the Scenes?

Curriculum Developers: Dr. Todd Shurn – Howard University, Trish Millines Dziko – Executive Director and Founder Technology Access Foundation (TAF), Mylene Padolina – Microsoft

Microsoft: Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

National Urban League (NUL): Founded in 1910, it is the nation’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream.

Contact Information

Lori Metcalf
Administrative Assistant
Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
206.461.3792 Ext 3003

email: lmetcalf@urbanleague.org

NEWS ARTICLES:
Youth IT Challenge: Microsoft and National Urban League Team Up to Support Minority High School Entrepreneurs
Making the Business: Youth IT Challenge