Virtual Enterprises International (VEI), an educational nonprofit that provides opportunities for students in grades 7-12 to start and run simulated businesses, announced today that students that Syosset High School received high honors in its National Elevator Pitch Competition for their simulated business, Thrive Healthy Living, a company they operate from their classroom. The students’ elevator pitch ranked among the top 10 percent of entries submitted for the competition nationwide.
Through the VE program, the students created Thrive Healthy Living, a virtual business offering fun, nutritional health supplements that improve mental and physical well-being. In November, the students entered their business in VE’s National Elevator Pitch Competition, which challenges VE students to make a convincing, engaging elevator pitch to an angel investor in 60 seconds or less through a video submission. See the students’ video here: Syosset High School Elevator Pitch.
VE is a year-long program in which students create a business and role-play corporate jobs as they work to keep their business profitable by developing business plans, participating in trade shows, and conducting business transactions with virtual companies run by other students across the country. Over 200,000 students have gone through the VE program since its inception in 1996.
ABOUT VIRTUAL ENTERPRISES INTERNATIONAL
Virtual Enterprises International (VEI) is an educational nonprofit that provides a solution for schools to offer all students meaningful skills-based career experiences. Through our hands-on, task-based curricula, aligned to the VE Career Readiness Framework, students test drive potential careers and develop in-demand skills and competencies that post-secondary institutions and employers are seeking. By managing the day-to-day operations of a company, students not only develop business skills and an entrepreneurial mindset, they also identify career pathways that align with their interests, talents, and aspirations.
Since its inception in 1996, VEI has served over 200,000 high school students, including many from under-resourced communities. In 2015, VEI introduced the VE-JV Career Academy, a similar two-year program that enables 7th and 8th-grade students to develop technology and entrepreneurial skills by starting and managing business ventures. Roughly 90% of VE students interact with business professionals who mentor them on a regular basis and 87% identify a career path of interest due to their involvement in the VE program. We annually support 20,000+ students across the U.S. and are part of a global network spanning 40+ countries and over 7,000+ student-run businesses. Learn more about VE on our website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages.
