Build upon success of the Foundation’s America’s Teen Mogul (ATM) Competition and Career Readiness Program with Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs in public schools and expand more deeply into US cities nationwide. The Foundation is currently engaging with the following school districts: San Diego, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, New York City, Charlotte, Wilmington, NC, Miami, and the District of Columbia.

More than 40 student teams from nine San Diego high schools participated in business plan training workshops held by the Nick Cannon Foundation leading up to the ATM competition. A total of 27 teams made final entries to the competition across all priority industry sectors. The 1st place prize of $5,000 and a pair of Nick Cannon’s NCREDIBLE Wireless Headsets by Radio Shack was awarded to Firas Mosalam, of University City High School, who entered the contest alone. Firas presented a business plan for a new automatic eye drop dispenser for elderly patients with dexterity issues representing the healthcare priority business sector. 

San Diego Unified School District’s student ATM team, Acrophonics, partnered with RadioShack and developed a variety of remote-controlled vehicles that incorporated a Bluetooth speaker. Using their smart phones, consumers are able to blast music up to thirty feet away! Acrophonics designed a new remote-controlled car to add to RadioShack’s lineup of vehicles that includes the Bluetooth speaker, and worked with RadioShack to insert the technology into each of their models, and will be expanding to drones. Consumers will enjoy their time operating remote-controlled vehicles much more when they have their favorite music playing.

In Charlotte, more than 20 student teams from seven CMS high schools participated in business plan training workshops held by the Nick Cannon Foundation.  The first-place prize of $2,500, and a pair of Nick Cannon’s NCREDIBLE Wireless Headsets by T-Mobile, was awarded to team Sports Surge Consulting of Mallard Creek High School. Team Sports Surge presented a business plan for boosting game attendance for the Charlotte Hornets and other professional sports franchises. 

More than 10 student teams from eleven Wilmington, NC area high schools and middle schools participated in business plan training workshops held by the Foundation. The 1st place prize of $3,500 and a pair of Nick Cannon’s NCREDIBLE Wireless Headsets by T-Mobile was awarded to Shemeka Richardson of New Hanover High School. Shemeka presented a business plan for her company ‘Trained Life Saving Systems’, which uses trauma kits and 3D-printed tourniquets to help prepare people to keep themselves alive in the event of trauma and ultimately prevent deaths from trauma. Richardson’s company is unique in that she partnered with former military members, New Hanover Regional Medical Center and the Stop the Bleed national campaign. The Foundation awarded Jose Herrera, Brigade Boys & Girls Club, Workforce Development Program Manager, with the 2019 NCREDIBLE Program Partner Award.

The Foundation also awarded CTE Teachers Jovonnia McCray and Barrett Davis with the 2019 NCREDIBLE Teaching Partners Award.

In Chicago, a total of 8 clubs from Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (BGCC) representing forty-three high schools within the Chicago Public Schools system took part in the ATM program. Many students participated in business plan training and career readiness workshops held by the Foundation leading up to the competition. Teams competed for a total of $4,000 in cash prizes. The 1st place prize of $2,500 was awarded to team New Life: Ravious Payne, Shawnae Adams, Curtis Coleman, and Michael K. Arnold of BGCC’s Green Club. Team New Life presented a business plan to manufacture restaurant tables with inductive charging platforms embedded for charging cell phones and other electronic devices representing the manufacturing and engineering priority business sector. 

The Nick Cannon Foundation awarded Mimi LeClair, BGCC’s President and CEO, with the 2017 NCREDIBLE Community Executive Award and Conduco, LLC’s Co-Founder and CEO, Bruce Hawver, with the 2017 NCREDIBLE Business Executive Award.

Adrian Gause (12), Kira Quince (12), Kiron Quince (12), and Isaiah McFadden (12) of Leland Middle School, presented their business, Comic Kid Pros. ‘Comic Kid Pros’ are creating a comic book that aims to incorporate minorities, and under-represented groups in the comic industry. The storyline for their first book is Hurricane Florence inspired, as the characters gained their superpowers from toxic waste in the water. The kids are also all very passionate about serving the homeless, and hope their comic book can provide emotional support to people as well as laughs. Comic Kid Pros received an Honorable Mention in the Wilmington, NC competition.