This spring, Virtual Enterprises International (VEI) showcased the next generation of CEOs in action at the annual VEI Youth Business Summit. See video highlights
The four-day event, sponsored by the New York Life Foundation, with additional support from Deloitte, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., and McGraw-Hill Education, brought together more than 3,000 high school students from VEI programs across the nation and around the globe. The stduents took part in a variety of challenges designed to highlight their global business expertise.
The summit also featured luminaries from business, government and education who helped sponsor the event, served as competition judges and received awards from VEI for their leadership and commitment to expanding educational opportunities for young people.
At the Partners’ Breakfast, VEI presented Crystal Leadership Awards to Dennis Walcott, Chancellor of NYC Public Schools, Kishore Siva, SVP of HSBC Bank USA, N.A., and Geraldine Ambrosio, Principal of Dewitt Clinton High School. Sandra Alcaide, a VEI alum who is preparing to graduate from NYU, shared some of her experiences with the program and told the audience that, “I wouldn’t be where I am today without VEI.”
The Youth Business Summit centered around three events in which VEI students from around the globe demonstrate their business and entrepreneurial acumen.
At the National Business Plan Competition, which was held at the McGraw-Hill Companies headquarters in New York City, teams from cities across America presented their business plans to a panel of distinguished industry judges as they competed for prizes. 
The students had developed and polished their business plans throughout the school year while they were engaged in running their virtual businesses. Top honors this year went to Sanatorius from Costa Mesa, California, with Coast from South Pasadena, California and Bon Voyage Travel from Brooklyn, New York taking second and third place. Members of the top three times, along with their team coordinators, received Apple iPads. See finalists presentations
This year’s winners also included multinational teams of students who were took part in VEI’s Global Business Challenge by solving a business case study involving one of the world’s most global companies, Apple, Inc.
The Youth Business Summit culminated with the VEI International Trade Fair, held on April 7, 2011 at New York City’s historic 69th Regiment Armory.
The International Trade Fair featured approximately 3,000 youth exhibitors in a race against time to log sales of highly desired goods and services. VEI CEOs, marketing directors and sales managers from around the world and across industries had spent months priming their sales force with positive thinking, planning their marketing strategies, building their displays, and devising innovative ways to outsmart and outsell the competition. During the Trade Fair, the virtual firms competed against each other in the categories of Best Sales Pitch, Booth Design, Web Design, and Catalog.
Mark your calendars! The 2012 Youth Business Summit is scheduled for March 27-29. Details will be forthcoming.
Youth Business Summit (Full Photo Gallery)
National Business Plan Competition
UFT’s New York Teacher- Here’s the Pitch
