Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship to Celebrate 20 Years in D.C.

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Diana Davis Spencer, President of The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, and Kevin A. Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour Inc., will be honored at the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship's (NFTE) Global Gala on April 24, 2014, at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

The event will celebrate the 20^th Anniversary of NFTE Greater Washington's pioneering achievements within entrepreneurship education with a theme of "The Blueprint: 20 Years of Building Futures."

Since 1994, the DC regional chapter of NFTE has empowered more than 25,000 young people from disadvantaged communities with the tools needed to spark entrepreneurial thinking and put them on a trajectory for success. This year, NFTE Greater Washington is serving another 1,100 students.

NFTE is recognizing long-time supporter and Board member Diana Davis Spencer, who has dedicated her life to the advancement and education of young people worldwide. Throughout her years of philanthropic service, she has championed the rights of children everywhere and has helped spread the NFTE mission globally.  With her support, NFTE programs now operate in schools from Los Angeles to China and from Baltimore to Chile.

"With NFTE's experiential learning modality, students not only learn how to start a business but also the relevance of math and reading. I'm so proud of NFTE's growth worldwide but I'm most proud of its return on investment," Davis Spencer said.

Kevin A. Plank, a native of the Washington, D.C. area, will also be recognized both as a successful locally grown entrepreneur and for his impact on entrepreneurship education. Plank has been launching businesses since his undergraduate years at the University of Maryland.  He has grown his brainchild – Under Armour – from a small garage project into an international success story. In 2012, Forbes Magazine ranked Plank #3 on its list of "America's 20 Most Powerful CEOs 40 and Under."

"I'm humbled to be honored by an organization like NFTE that for over two decades has supported kids and provided them with opportunities to pursue their passions and entrepreneurship," said Plank. "We all have an obligation to foster the development of the next generation and empower them to realize that anything is possible when you have the will and determination to succeed."

In addition to the honorees, the Gala will also celebrate the achievements of NFTE's 2014 Global Young Entrepreneurs from around the world. These top NFTE students will display and showcase and sell their products alongside their counterparts from the DC region as one of the highlights of the evening.

Global Enterprising Educator Awards will also be given to the top teacher from each NFTE program from around the world through the generous support of MasterCard.  The company aids NFTE programs in countries around the world not only with financial resources but with the expertise and time of countless employees who work directly with NFTE young entrepreneurs and NFTE teachers.

"Entrepreneurship and business literacy education spur a continuous cycle of learning and innovation that will bring sustainable job creation and greater financial inclusion," said Patricia Devereux, Executive Director of Global Philanthropy, MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth.  "MasterCard is proud to work with NFTE and inspire students to stay in school, recognize business opportunities and plan for successful futures."

"NFTE Greater Washington has proven for 20 years that the entrepreneurial mindset is a powerful tool that can be taught, and this year's Gala applauds these strides," said Amy Rosen, CEO and President of NFTE. "I'm so grateful to both our honorees Kevin Plank and long-time supporter Diana Davis Spencer, who are exemplary leaders that fuel our organizational mission to empower youth to harness their entrepreneurial dreams, making job ownership and creation a reality, worldwide."

The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation espouses the values upon which our nation was founded: duty, honor, freedom, individual responsibility, and the work ethic. The mission of the Foundation is to promote entrepreneurship, self-reliance, global understanding, free enterprise, and to enhance the quality of life by supporting the arts, education, health advancements, and preservation of the environment.

Under Armour® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear, and equipment. The Company's products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland. For further information, please visit the Company at www.ua.com

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

The MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth was created to foster collaborative relationships between academia, governments, nonprofits, the social design community, and the private sector.  Through the advancement of research and strategic philanthropic investments, the Center supports and enables those historically excluded from financial services and serves as a catalyst for change.

The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Too many young people today drop out of school and struggle to break the cycle of poverty. Since 1987, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has been inspiring young people to pursue educational opportunities, start their own businesses, and succeed in life. By providing entrepreneurship education programs relevant to the real world, NFTE empowers students to own their educations in and out of the classroom and to find their own path to success. Hundreds of thousands of students have discovered opportunity all around them through entrepreneurship via thousands of certified educators worldwide. NFTE supports active programs in 19 U.S. locations and 13 countries around the world. Entrepreneurs are a powerful driver of economic growth and NFTE sows the seeds of innovation in students worldwide. To learn more visit www.nfte.com, like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/NFTE  or follow us on Twitter at @NFTE.

Contact: Derek Newton [email protected] 212-232-3333 x316

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SOURCE Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship