The Summer Program
The Summer Program provides 35 Trenton youth with the opportunity to start and run a business individually during the summer. Middle school students participate in 20 days of training in entrepreneurship at Rider University and run their own businesses throughout the summer.
The intensive training program challenges students to improve their reading and math skills.
The experiential component involves four Summer Market Fairs at different sites in Trenton where students run their businesses. Before each market fair students participate in a business trip to purchase merchandise for their businesses. Also, prior to each market fair, students participate in a Business Coaching Session. At each session, parents and other volunteers will help students effectively plan for how to run their businesses at the upcoming market fair.
The training ends with a business plan competition where students with the best business plans compete for prize money. The contestants work with a presentation coach to improve their presentation skills.