BUILD-ing the Dream for Under-served Youth in Washington, DC

MENLO PARK, CA (November 5, 2007) – BUILD (Businesses United in Lending, and Development) is bringing its highly successful four-year youth entrepreneurship and college access program to Washington, DC. BUILD currently operates two other sites in California—serving East Palo Alto and Oakland—teaching entrepreneurial skills to 400 students in eleven schools in under-resourced communities who may be losing interest in school but who see business as way to improve their lives. BUILD understands that most savvy urban youth have real-world skills and experiences that are often not valued and activated in traditional school, so BUILD engages university students, young professionals, venture capitalists and community volunteers to help students plan, launch and operate small businesses as a way to tap their talents and re-engage them in the learning process.

Having grown from just four students in 1999, BUILD operates two Youth Business and Academic Incubators, in Oakland and Palo Alto, CA, where students start up and grow their businesses. The Palo Alto Incubator is the largest of its kind in the United States. On October 29, 2007, BUILD opened its first East Coast office in Washington, DC. BUILD DC opens in office space provided by the law firm of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, PC.

“Our goal is to serve 100 students from under-performing schools in the District in the 2008-2009 school year,” said Ajuah Helton, East Coast regional program director. “We are so grateful for the initial support of Mintz Levin, and look forward to building additional support in the community. BUILD can have such a tremendous impact for the youth of DC, and I’m excited to get started.”

Ajuah Helton began her career with BUILD in 2001 as entrepreneurship instructor. Though she relocated to Philadelphia in 2002 to pursue graduate studies in education, Ajuah stayed connected with BUILD as an advisor, mentor educator and facilitator, and served as interim Director of Education in 2004. Ajuah has since rejoined the organization to spearhead BUILD’s expansion to the East Coast, beginning in Washington, DC. Prior to re-joining BUILD, Ajuah managed youth entrepreneurship programs at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and at The Enterprise Center in Philadelphia, where she was later promoted to Chief of Staff. Ajuah is a Certified Entrepreneurship Instructor through the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). She is also an alumna of Teach For America and taught two years in the Greater New Orleans area. Ajuah holds a BA in psychology from Clark Atlanta University and did her Master’s work in educational leadership at the University of Pennsylvania.

BUILD chief executive officer and founder, Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, adds, “I am thrilled to expand our services to the students in Washington, DC. With Ajuah’s background in education and entrepreneurship, I know BUILD DC will be a success.”

About BUILD
BUILD is a social venture focused on providing real-world entrepreneurial experience that empowers youth from underserved communities to excel in education, lead in their communities and succeed professionally. BUILD encourages students to develop their own small businesses, extending traditional entrepreneurial education far beyond the classroom and providing students with practical experiences and access to talented business, academic and investment leaders in the larger community. Established in September of 1999, BUILD is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA. BUILD currently runs two incubators for students in eleven schools in Oakland and Palo Alto, CA (the Palo Alto incubator is the largest in the United States). BUILD opened its third site in Washington, DC in October 2007. More information about BUILD can be found online at www.build.org.