Students throughout Surry County, Elkin, and Mount Airy are learning how to plan a business, design and market products, and determine the best location to place a service business or product, through Y.E.S. (Youth Entrepreneurship Surry), in association with the Career Technical Education program (CTE). The program, which has been implemented throughout the entire school system, supports students by allowing them to study through experience.

Two different groups, year one and year two students participated in a training day Tuesday around Elkin. Students from six different schools, including Elkin High School, met at the Elkin Library with specific project assignments. The students performed an entrepreneurial activity using Smartie candies, made a product for sale out of garbage under the trash to treasure assignment, and went on a treasure hunt walking activity.

The first-year students were the participants in downtown Elkin where they began their walking activity by visiting Royall's Soda Shoppe for lunch and heard a speech by owner Suzzane Puckett on the requirements of business ownership. After lunch, the students broke into groups visited other downtown business where they were given information on the planning of the businesses, the success in today's economy and some of the woes of being a business owner.

"Cicely McCulloch, owner of Diana's bookstore, explained to us that owning a business isn't about having a building, it's much more," one of the Elkin students said. "She talked about ordering items for her store and getting advice from industry representatives of the best selling products."

Other businesses visited included Elkin Community Acupuncture, Carol's Wedding Shop, Elk Pharmacy, Plums Women's Clothing, Time Testers, Foot Heels Shoe and Boot Repair, Yadkin Valley General Store, Couture Design Group, Circle of Friends Yarn Shop, Ace Music and Pawn Shop and Blue Ridge Chocolates.

"We learned at the pawn shop that sometimes you have to deal with things like break-ins and people trying to pawn stolen merchandise," one Elkin student said. "We also learned that often it takes several years to format your plan and save enough capital funds to fall back on until your business can stand on its own from, the owner of Time Testers," another student said.

"I think we learned valuable information today," yet another student said.

Barbara Long, Elkin City Schools CTE Director said that the Y.E.S. program is a great way for the students to lean about true entrepreneurial-ship instead of just keeping busy.

"It's important for the students to set goals and have hands-on experience," Patsy Burgess, career development coordinator said.

"This is the second year we've had the CTE program," Long said. "Our group here today is our year-one group and the second year group, Year Two is meeting at Surry Community College (Tuesday) and learning about creating a product that can be marketed."

"One of the things the lady at Circle of Friends told us was that we had to be patient, patient, patient, when starting our own business," another Elkin student said.

The CTE program began last year with a grant from the workforce innovation for regional economic development fund. The initial grant was $28,000 and ran out last June. Money for this year’s program has come form local and county businesses and the promise of the Surry County Commissioners to add additional funds to the program.

"We hope to continue the program and would like to have additional support from the community," Jill Rinehardt, CTE director of Surry County said. "We began with 30 students last year and only had one to drop out," she said. "This year we have an additional 30 students enrolled in the program. We have tried to tie the Y.E.S. program in with the graduation project required of every senior. The students are asking good questions and creating solid ideas."

Local and county wide businesses that would like to donate funds for the continuation of this project may contact Rinehardt at 336-386-8211 or Barbara Long in Elkin at 336-835-3135.