Tennessee Schools, Businesses Celebrate First Entrepreneurship Week

Nashville, TN – Schools, businesses and community ambassadors across Tennessee are partnering to build an entrepreneurial climate during the nation’s first Entrepreneurship Week, Feb. 24 – March 3, 2007. Businesses and local organizations have volunteered as partners to promote entrepreneurship among local students while schools are hosting competitions to allow students to put their ideas into action.

“Entrepreneurial endeavors are what keep any economy thriving and progressing,” Assistant Commissioner for Career and Technical Education Ralph Barnett said. “We want to instill in students a spirit to pursue new ideas and the skills to execute them successfully.”

Tennessee’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) division is taking the lead in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation with events such as Entrepreneurship Week. Communities from Memphis to Johnson City have signed on to participate. Many schools’ CTE programs already offer students regular opportunities to develop innovative business skills through courses such as Virtual Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

“This event gives students another opportunity to exercise their innovative skills and be recognized,” said Lisa Jones, marketing education consultant for Tennessee. “We appreciate the businesses, organizations and citizens who have volunteered to help students hone their business acumen.”

Visit http://www.entrepreneurshipweekusa.com/home-flash.asp for details about national Entrepreneurship Week. On that site, visit ‘What’s going on in your state’ to view sample schools, partners and ambassadors participating in Tennessee.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.