Project ECHO @ UCLA

This past month, The UCLA Anderson School of Management hosted the 7th annual Project ECHO Business Plan competition.  If you're not familiar, Project ECHO is a program that engages high school students to teach them relevant business and entrepreneurial skills as well as creates additional career opportunities for them.  Project ECHO partners MBA students from UCLA Anderson with high schools in the LA area to mentor and guide them through the creation of a business plan.  This all culminates in a business plan competition, where student have the opportunity to present their plans to local businessmen and women as well as entrepreneurs.  

I was fortunate enough to be a mentor for the South Pasadena Coast team, whose Coast team took home 3rd place for their Zephyr powered bikes.  I use the word mentor lightly though, because I was incredibly impressed by what these aspiring entrepreneurs had accomplished the first time I met them.  They had already put together an incredibly thorough and innovative business plan and I felt lucky just to have a chance to work with them.

Project ECHO is just one of the many ways that current student can get involved with the community as well as earn hours for the annual Challenge for Charity (C4C) competition.  I highly encourage anyone thinking of coming to UCLA Anderson to get involved with Project ECHO.  It's an extremely rewarding experience you won't soon forget!

Existing On Campus
1^st – Snack Shack, Animo Locke Tech
2^nd – Vikes Enterprises, Santa Monia High School
3^rd – Seflora, Santa Monica High School

New On Campus
1^st – Gift Givers, Ivy Academia Middle School
2^nd – Rams Café, South Gate Senior HS
3^rd – E Lounge, Ivy Academia HS

Off Campus
1^st – Stacked, Santa Monica High School
2^nd – Simply Sweet, Charter Oaks
3^rd – Coast, South Pasadena HS

Overall: 
Fashion with Passion, Santa Barbara HS (Check out a picture of the overall winners below!)

Craton Green Award: 
Paper SOS, Hamilton HS

Emily Chan Most Inspirational Team: 
Compassion Fashion, Boys & Girls Club Port Hueneme

Project ECHO 2011 Overall Winners - Fashion with Passion, Santa Barbara HS