The Business Education Partnership Foundation has completed another successful session of State Farm Summer Business Camp. Sponsored by State Farm, the BEP’s two-week day camp exposes middle school students to the basics of the business world. Students form business teams, write a business plan, develop a marketing strategy, and make a PowerPoint presentation of their work for a final competition.
Team “Live Organic” won this year’s competition. “Live Organic” team members were Aysha Dean, Carson Kennedy, Andrew Parsley, Olivia Zietz, and Shawn Zheng. The team developed a plan for a local organic grocery store which would sell fresh, local produce, with a long-term plan to expand throughout the Southeast. Each member of team “Live Organic” received a new Toshiba laptop for winning the competition.
The BEP gratefully acknowledges partnerships with State Farm as well as the many volunteers who helped make the camp a success. BEP Foundation Chairman Emil Hassan said, “We appreciate State Farm’s long-term commitment to the BEP; this business camp is a very important part of preparing our students for their future careers.”
State Farm’s Judy McConkey observed the students’ closing presentations to local professionals, who served as judges for the competition. “At State Farm, we make it our business to be like a "good neighbor", helping to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work. We are proud to support the State Farm Summer Business Camp and commend all of the students who gave up two weeks of their summer vacation to acquire business, financial literacy, and leadership skills. Hopefully, what they learned in this camp will benefit them throughout their lives," she said.
In addition to the State Farm Summer Business Camp, other BEP programs include the BEP/Nissan Teacher Mini-Grant Award program, the Counselor Leadership Institute, the Professor Buzzo Discovery Academy, the BC3 Academy, Youth Leadership Rutherford, Job Shadow Day, and the Express Yourself Arts Conference.
The Business Education Partnership (BEP) Foundation is a 501(c) (3) organization formed in 1988 with the help of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce. The BEP states as its mission: “To foster interest in and to promote and support programs in public schools of the City of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County that will prepare students for the business world.”
How to Help:
To contribute to the Business Education Partnership Foundation or to learn more about its programs for teachers, guidance counselors, and students, visit rutherfordbep.org, or call (615) 278-2008.
