LANSING, Mich., Feb. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan Chamber Foundation is pleased to announce its partnership with the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), a nationally-recognized innovative program that transforms local high school students into real entrepreneurial successes. The Michigan Chamber Foundation will launch a pilot YEA! program in the Lansing area in the fall of 2015. 

"One of the most interesting components of the YEA! program is the actual 'behind the scenes' knowledge that local business leaders are able to share with students," said Bob Thomas, Executive Director of the Michigan Chamber Foundation. "This experience is something they will be able to apply to any field they choose to enter, and will provide them with the necessary skills to become future leaders of their industries."

YEA! is a cutting-edge program that takes students in grades 9-12 through the process of starting and launching a real business over the course of an academic year. By the end of the class, students own and operate fully formed and functioning businesses, which may be carried on after their graduation from the program.

"YEA! aims to teach students at an early age how to make a job, not just take a job," noted Thomas. "It is the only pre-college program developed by an entrepreneur, at a university, with support from a major entrepreneurial foundation – the Kauffman Foundation – and the US Chamber of Commerce."

Lansing area students are invited to learn more about the program by attending one of the YEA! Informational Sessions held at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, 600 S.

Walnut St., Lansing, on March 2 or March 25 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. These informational sessions are free and open to all students interested in the program; parents are encouraged to attend. To register, contact Anita Lindsay at alindsay@michamber.com or (517) 371-7671.

The Michigan Chamber Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable foundation that was established to plan, promote and conduct non-partisan educational research and programs regarding issues facing Michigan, provide leadership opportunities for emerging leaders, and promote free enterprise. The Michigan Chamber Foundation is funded strictly through contributions and sponsorships from businesses. Foundation programs are not possible without the vital support of member businesses.

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy was developed and founded in 2004 by CEO Gayle Jagel while serving as the Director of the Office of Special Programs at the University of Rochester. In 2008, YEA! "spun-off" from the University to create its own not-for-profit corporation, YEA! Inc. The program is currently introducing sites in colleges, universities and high schools across the country.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/michigan-chamber-foundation-to-launch-young-entrepreneurs-academy-pilot-program-in-lansing-in-fall-2015-300040608.html

SOURCE Michigan Chamber Foundation