Think Student Government + Shark Tank + Leadership Training
Most after-school programs ask students to learn. The Youth Empowerment Academy asks them to build, advocate, and lead. Students graduate with a real business, a real advocacy platform, and the confidence to use both.
The Youth Empowerment Academy combines business and leadership through BizFed Institute and Youthful Savings. Students build real ventures while gaining practical skills to lead confidently.
From day one, students make a defining choice: build a physical product or develop a technology solution, fully supported through the Learning Marketplace by Youthful Savings. This is not a simulation. Students build real ventures, list them on a real marketplace, and pitch for real funding.
BizFed subject matter experts lead six advocacy sessions woven throughout the program. Students learn how government works, how business and policy intersect, and how to identify and make a specific ask of a real decision-maker. At the Culmination Event, invited elected officials and civic leaders are in the room. The advocacy pitch students deliver is not a classroom exercise. It is the real thing.
This program combines advocacy training with real-world application. Students will:
Learn how decisions are made and who holds influence in their community.
Craft and deliver messages that move people and create impact.
Understand how business and policy intersect and how to navigate both.
Learn how narratives are shaped through media, press, and storytelling.
Explore how funding, budgets, and economics affect their ZIP code.
Connect local issues to global systems and perspectives.
The program runs 12 weeks, from Kickoff to Culmination. The default format is in-person on campus, 90 minutes, after school. A hybrid option is also available: Kickoff and Culmination stay in-person, and weekly sessions are delivered online for schools that prefer or require it.
Teams move from idea to listing to first sale inside the twelve-week arc. The venture becomes the vehicle for teaching finance, marketing, ops, and — most importantly — resilience.
A product or service the team designs, prices, and takes to market — not a hypothetical business plan.
Every venture goes live on the Youthful Savings marketplace, where real customers can browse and buy.
Budgeting, unit economics, margins, and cash flow — taught in the context of the venture the students are building.
A boardroom-quality pitch delivered live to a room of civic and business leaders at culmination.
From recognized certification to real business ownership and civic leadership experience, students leave with achievements that create lasting impact beyond graduation.
Bringing the Youth Empowerment Academy to your campus is a funded partnership. Schools, districts, and community funders invest in the program so that every student participates at absolutely no cost. We work with partners to identify the right funding path for your campus, whether that is an existing grant, after-school budget, or a new funding opportunity.
Official Youth Empowerment Academy Certificate, recognized by BizFed's network of 400+ member companies.
How laws are made, how business and government intersect, and how to influence policy. A completed advocacy presentation delivered publicly to elected officials and civic leaders at Culmination.
An active vendor listing on the Youthful Savings Marketplace, eligibility to sell at the Santa Monica store and Farmer's Market, and a business they own and operate.
Access to a YS Foundation prepaid card through 1:1 mentorship. Real seed funding with no credit history, co-signer, or collateral required.
The BizFed Student Leadership Lab combines advocacy training, entrepreneurship, and real-world application to deliver a unique learning experience.
8 weeks (after-school cohort format)
Weekly in-person sessions on campus
$FREE (fully funded for all students).
Participating school campuses
We’re piloting the Youth Empowerment Academy for grades 6 through 12 with a select group of Southern California schools, with plans to expand further. If you’re a school leader, district administrator, or funder interested in bringing this program to your campus, we’d love to connect.
Every pilot partner receives a mid-cohort progress update, a full culmination report with student outcomes, and a public commitment from BizFed Institute and Youthful Savings to publish honest results — successes and setbacks alike.
If you saw a flyer at your school or heard about this program and want to know when it’s available near you, leave your info below. We’ll reach out as soon as the program launches at your school. No commitment, just your spot on the list.
