1. education
2. high school

Contact: Diane Quast Executive Director
Tel: 310.251.8636
Email: DQuast@projectecho.org
For Immediate Release
Project ECHO and UCLA Anderson Announce
11th Annual High School Business Plan Competition
UCLA Anderson students mentor at-risk youth in entrepreneurial concepts
LOS ANGELES, CA – April 12, 2015 – More than 500 high school students from across
the Southland will compete in the 11th annual Project ECHO High School Entrepreneur’s
Business Plan Competition scheduled for Sundays, March 8 (semi-finals) and April 12th
(finals). Hosted by the Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and
UCLA Anderson School of Management, this annual competition provides Southern
California high school students the opportunity to pitch their new business ventures to
prominent members of the local business community who serve as volunteer venture
capitalist judges.
Project ECHO (Entrepreneurial Concepts Hands On!), established in 1996, has seen year
over year growth in its year-round program that is focused on providing high school
students with in demand business skills. This year, about 50 teams from 16 high schools
and academic pathways will compete in the competition.
“In order to meet the evolving business ventures of our young students, ECHO has
changed the three categories of our Business Plan Competition,” said Diane Quast,
ECHO’s Executive Director. “Students will now compete for cash start-up funds in
Technology Based Business, Retail Based Business, and Growth Oriented Business. Our
two-part evaluation process assesses the student teams’ written business plan along with
their formal pitch, which are weighted equally.” A total of $6,250 will be awarded to seven
teams, that will include an overall competition winner, and first, second and third place in
each category of competition.
Project ECHO offers a hands-on year round program in business and entrepreneurship
with the aim of providing teens from various socioeconomic backgrounds and academic
achievement the opportunity to experience entrepreneurship. During their ECHO year,
high school students are mentored by M.B.A. candidates from UCLA’s Anderson School of
Management. This is a collective attempt to provide students with useful skills in business
that will positively influence their decision to continue their education beyond high school
while opening doors for career opportunities. This year’s competition further expands
Project ECHO’s reach by including Johanna Boss High School, a school for incarcerated
juveniles.
Participating Schools:







Alliance Renee & Meyer Luskin
Academy High School
Channel Islands High School
Charter Oak High School
Dorsey High School - School of
Business and Entrepreneurship
Ivy Academia Entrepreneurial Charter
School
Johanna Boss High School – CDCR
Division of Juvenile Justice High
School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School:




Center for International Curriculum
Pacific Rim Business Academy
Program of Additional Curricular
Experiences (PACE)
Los Angeles Big Picture High School
Narbonne High School
Palisades Charter High School
Banning High School



Sacred Heart High School
Santa Barbara High School
Santa Monica High School
The preliminary business plan competition will take place on Sunday, March 8, 2015, and
the High School Entrepreneur’s Business Plan Finals Competition will take place on
Sunday, April 12, 2015 from 9:00AM to 3:00PM. The competition will be held on campus of
UCLA at the Anderson School of Management, Korn Convocation Hall. The morning
session will include business plan presentations, during lunch students will have the
opportunity to network with judges and M.B.A. mentors, and in the afternoon winners will
be announced. This event is open to the public. For more information, or to learn about
sponsorship opportunities, call Project ECHO at (424) 238-1884.
About Project ECHO
Project ECHO, a non-profit organization established in 1996, offers a free and unique
entrepreneurial learning experience to at-risk students with the goal of keeping youth
engaged in school beyond high school. The year round program includes business boot
camps, a formal curriculum in entrepreneurial studies and its annual business plan
competition. The program provides students with relevant skills in Excel/financial planning
and analysis, market research, traditional and social media marketing, business writing,
oral presentation skills, and much more.
For more information about Project ECHO, please visit www.projectecho.org.
About UCLA Anderson School of Management
Founded in the depth of the Great Depression, UCLA Anderson School of Management
now ranks among the top-tier business schools in the world. An award-winning faculty
renowned for research and teaching, highly selective admissions, successful alumni and
world-class facilities combine to provide an extraordinary learning environment in the heart
of Southern California. Anderson M.B.A. candidates partner with ECHO by volunteering to
serve as mentors to the hundreds of high school students who participate every year.
For further information regarding UCLA Anderson School of Management visit
www.anderson.ucla.edu
Contact
Diane Quast, Executive Director
1437 6th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Tel.: (310) 251-8636
Fax: (310) 818-5500
dquast@projectecho.org
www.projectecho.org
###