Community Partners Bring Youth Entrepreneurship Training to South St. Petersburg

CodeBoxx Foundation, through its partnership with CodeBoxx Academy, has sponsored the program fees for a youth entrepreneurship training at the Enoch Davis Center, bringing no-cost business education to young people in South St. Petersburg.

The program gives youth the space to develop, present, and collaborate on real business ideas — with the support of mentors and community volunteers behind them. This Saturday, April 11, those ideas go public.

The Kidpreneur Marketplace, presented by Closer To Our Dreams and hosted by Somebody's Coffee — a Black female-owned business rooted in South St. Pete — takes place from 10:00am–2:00pm and gives kid entrepreneurs ages 5–17 the opportunity to sell their products and services to the public. Attendance is free. Closer To Our Dreams was built on the belief that everyone has the capacity to achieve their dreams — and that the right environment can unlock it.

At last Saturday's training session, that belief played out in real time.

A mother of five participated alongside her children, and by the end of the day was helping them merge their individual business concepts into two collaborative ventures — exactly the kind of outcome the program is designed to produce.

"Talent doesn't sort itself by zip code. Our job is to make sure opportunity doesn't either," said Keara McGraw, CodeBoxx Foundation. "

Organizers are calling on the community to show up Saturday — as shoppers, supporters, or vendors — to demonstrate that South St. Pete values its young entrepreneurs. The goal is 15–20 families in attendance.

Kid vendors can reserve a spot and families can register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1985413592501?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Volunteers can sign up at: https://form.jotform.com/260733772085158