Baltimore, MD (Feb 28, 2018) — Lecha Guy, local young entrepreneur and CEO of Cha’s Mehndi Artistry, and middle school teacher Deneen McDonald of Francis Scott Key Elementary Middle School will be honored at the NFTE (Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship) 2018 Global Showcase presented by Mastercard on March 22nd at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York City. NFTE is an international nonprofit that activates the entrepreneurial mindset in young people from under-resourced communities and builds their business skills. NFTE’s Global Showcase is an annual celebration that highlights and recognizes the organization’s extraordinary teachers and alumni from around the world with the Global Young Entrepreneur and Global Enterprising Educator Awards.
Lecha Guy, a 14-year-old student at Western High School, will be named as a Global Young Entrepreneur of 2018 for his business, Cha’s Mehndi Artistry, a henna body art service that lets clients express themselves “creatively but not permanently.” Lecha’s business grew from the NFTE course she completed while enrolled at Calverton Middle School. Later, Lecha continued her business while participating in the Mayor’s Teen BizCamp, a NFTE summer program held at Frederick Douglass High School in 2017. Cha’s Mehndi Artistry will be featured at the Global Showcase and Lecha will also receive a small grant to be used for expanding her startup or furthering her educational goals.
Additionally, every year NFTE recognizes teachers’ dedication to helping students develop their entrepreneurial mindset and reach beyond themselves to achieve greater academic and career success to become the leaders of tomorrow. This year, Deneen McDonald will be recognized as a Global Enterprising Educator of 2018 for excellence in teaching the award-winning, project-based NFTE curriculum.
“We’re delighted to have Lecha and Deneen as our global ambassadors this year. They are a true testament to NFTE,” said Steve Legacy, Regional Director for NFTE Baltimore/Washington. “The students and teachers involved with our programs know that learning how to think like an entrepreneur goes much farther than starting a business. Activating the entrepreneurial mindset develops young people’s non-cognitive skills and prepares them for future career success in the 21st century innovation economy. This year’s local honorees exemplify the entrepreneurial mindset.”
Twenty-six young innovators and 19 educators from around the world will exhibit at the Global Showcase and guests will have the chance to explore and learn more about each business and the various local NFTE programs. Nine nations will be represented including Belgium, Germany, Ireland, India, Israel, China, Singapore, Mexico, and the United States. More than 400 global leaders will attend from business, government, education, and philanthropy.
About NFTE (Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship)
NFTE is an internationally recognized nonprofit that activates the entrepreneurial mindset in young people. Research shows that the entrepreneurial mindset—skills including innovation, self-reliance, comfort with risk, communication, and problem-solving—prepares young people for lifelong success. Equipped with the mindset, as well as the business and academic skills that NFTE teaches, NFTE students are ready to thrive in the innovation economy no matter what path they choose. NFTE focuses its work on under-resourced communities. Through its nationwide network of U.S. offices, NFTE programs reached almost 35,000 students in over 1000 schools last school year. Partnerships in eight other countries allowed NFTE to serve an additional 40,000 young people internationally. Learn more at www.nfte.com