P.E.C.E.S. youth initiative graduates 20 future entrepreneurs
Twenty young people from Puerto Rico’s eastern region are entering the business world after participating in an initiative of the Community Dedication and Service Education Program (P.E.C.E.S., in Spanish) in collaboration with the MCS Foundation that combines education and a seed fund for their projects.
The young people are students and graduates of the P.E.C.E.S. program, who had to present and defend their business ideas to be part of the first edition of the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative.
Their ideas were selected from more than 50 proposals. Chosen students participated in several workshops that combined business development skills and psychological and emotional health aspects, as well as strengthened personal skills.
Ideas range from gardening, hair styling, and cosmetology services to shirt printing, music production, and a virtual dance school.
At this stage of the initiative, the chosen students participated at a recognition ceremony on June 29 at the alternative school. Starting on that date, they will have 90 days to get quotes for products and equipment necessary to develop their business, and to receive a seed fund according to the budgets they submitted — donated by the MCS Foundation.
In a next stage, those selected will receive additional support from the P.E.C.E.S. Community Economic and Business Development Support Center.
