Posted on January 17, 2012

NY Life Foundation Awards $1 Million for Business Education Program

Virtual Enterprises International has announced a four-year, $1 million grant from the New York Life Foundation to expand its business education program in California, Florida, Illinois, and New York and provide support for competitions and extended learning experiences where students can demonstrate their new skills.

Building on previous support from the foundation, the program will continue to integrate classroom learning with exposure to actual workplaces as part of the school curriculum. The program provides students, the majority of them from low-income families, with ninety minutes of daily instruction from trained teacher-facilitators who collaborate closely with the local business community, parents, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

"We are grateful for the continued support from the New York Life Foundation," said VEI president Eddy Bayardelle. "The funding will allow us to enable more students to become empowered and motivated as they develop a range of academic, business, technology, and professional skills that prepare them for success in post-secondary education and employment. Too many young people, particularly in inner cities, miss out on opportunities when they are adults because no one opened their eyes to the possibilities."