Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) and Ernst & Young named Thomas W. Harvey High School junior Brandon McClain "Young Entrepreneur of the Year" during its annual ceremony. McClain is CEO of B Kind Cards, which features his original photography of Cleveland landmarks. He received $1,000 and the chance to compete in the national Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) competition in November at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.

Y.O.U. is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping at-risk teens succeed in life. The E-City program uses the NFTE curriculum to teach entrepreneurship, business and leadership skills and encourages participants to start their own companies. “They can go to school, take the E-City class, enter the workforce and pursue their own ideas,” explains Emily Bacha, development and marketing administrator for Y.O.U. “Lots of students go on to continue their businesses after taking the class.”

Y.O.U.’s E-City classes prepare students for the real business world, especially when finding a decent job or going to college can be difficult right out of high school.

“Teaching our students about entrepreneurism and how to start their own business is important because it provides another route to economic and personal success,” says Bacha. “A number of our alumni have sustained their businesses after finishing the program and the income they’re earning is helping them pay bills and pay for college.”

Eight high school entrepreneurs from Horizon Science Academy, John F. Kennedy High School, Shaw High School and Thomas W. Harvey High School had eight minutes to present their business plans to a panel of three judges on May 22 at E&Y’s new Flats-based offices.

The experience of presenting provides its own rewards in putting classroom lessons into practice. “Youth are tasked with presenting their business plans, but are rewarded with practical advice on how to grow their businesses from successful entrepreneurs,” says Bacha. “Our finalists are rewarded with financial investments in their businesses.”

In addition to McCain, Harvey senior Byron Alston, CEO of Jazzy Scarves, took second place and won $500 from Y.O.U. to put towards his business and a trip to the NFTE competition. Shaw senior and CEO of KJ’s Steam Clean Service Kevin Alexander took third place, winning $250.