BUILD.org and Richard King Mellon Foundation Partner to Strengthen Entrepreneurship Education in Southwest Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BUILD.org is partnering with the Richard King Mellon Foundation (RKMF) to develop the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders and changemakers. Spanning over four years, RKMF's $1.2 million investment will be allocated to Allegheny and Westmoreland counties and will help to equip youth with an entrepreneurial mindset, develop their 21st century skills, and build their social capital.

"Entrepreneurs can be powerful agents for social good," said Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. "They bring their passion and creativity to vexing societal problems, with the potential to generate solutions that can be scaled to achieve significant positive impact.

"That's why the Foundation recently hosted a pitch competition for today's social-impact entrepreneurs. And we are supporting BUILD.org's important work, to help to foster tomorrow's entrepreneurs. The skills that BUILD.org's program teaches will better prepare young people to become entrepreneurs themselves, or to work for startups. And all students will benefit – because every job in this rapidly evolving economy requires entrepreneurial aptitude and skills."

The project kicks it off with the 2022 Southwestern PA Youth Pitch Competition which launched today! With this free, digital curriculum, Allegheny and Westmoreland county students and educators will flex their entrepreneurial muscles and mindsets to compete for cash prizes and bragging rights for their school and community. Students will embark on a journey of empathy, innovation, and collaboration to design campaigns, solutions, and products on how to create a thriving Greater Pittsburgh community. All educators receive training on implementing the Challenge using human-centered design thinking. Student finalists will face-off in a celebratory event in May 2022.

"Today, students and educators need digital skills and an entrepreneurial mindset to thrive in our rapidly changing workplace," said Ayele Shakur, CEO at BUILD. "We are thrilled to partner with RKMF to bring youth entrepreneurship education to Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties."

Empower your students to solve real world problems and create solutions that lead to thriving communities. Sign your class up today at https://build.org/swpa/.

About Richard King Mellon Foundation
Founded in 1947, the Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation's 2020 year-end endowment was $3.1 billion, and its Trustees in 2021 disbursed $152 million in grants and Program-Related Investments. The Foundation focuses its funding on six primary program areas, delineated in its 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.

About BUILD.org
Founded in 1999, BUILD is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to use entrepreneurship to ignite the potential of youth from under-resourced communities to build Career success, Entrepreneurial Mindsets, and Opportunity. BUILD utilizes entrepreneurship education to elevate youth and propel them to academic and career success, while empowering them to become the CEOs of their own lives. BUILD offers programming in 53 cities across the country, has trained nearly 400 educators, and over 15,000 youth have participated in BUILD's digital challenges and in-school entrepreneurship programming. For more information, visit www.build.org.

Contact:
Brian Costanzo
(571) 243-1152
[email protected]

SOURCE BUILD.org