NFTE St. Louis Metro

NFTE St. Louis is the 2020 Arcus Award Winner for Achievement in Entrepreneurship in St. Louis. Our uniquely powerful model for K-12 education brings the entrepreneurial mindset to the classroom through experiential activities, mentorship, and work-based learning. NFTE prepares middle and high school youth across the bi-state region-including Normandy, Jennings, University City, Special School District and East St. Louis school districts and nonprofit partners like Girls, Inc. and the St. Louis Science Center-with startup skills to become leaders in the innovation economy. Beyond the initial school experience, NFTE St. Louis Metro launched the Emerging Entrepreneurs Microloan Capstone program for top aspiring young entrepreneurs in partnership with the St. Louis Community Credit Union and Prosperity Connection to receive financial literacy education, seed capital, and mentorship.

Our program includes four critical components: 1) project-based entrepreneurship curriculum; 2) extensive teacher training and professional development opportunities; 3) volunteer engagement from the local business community; and 4) a nationwide pitch competition series with opportunities for students to advance from the classroom to school, regional, and national levels. The overall objective is to increase the agency of students to help them learn how to prepare themselves for the future of work. Based on an alumni study in 2016, 80% of NFTE alumni are in college or have graduated college, with 86% either employed or furthering their education, and on average alumni earn 50% more than their peers.