CHAMBER NEWS
The Chamber hosted a Meet Up for Lunch at Vincenzo’s.
The Chamber, through its Ignite
program, recently held a new
incubator tenant welcome
celebration at the Scranton
Enterprise Center. New tenants
pictured include Leaders, L.G.
Sonic US and The Veloce Group.
The GUIDE app is also a new
incubator program tenant.
The Chamber welcomed its newly-elected board members for an
orientation session.
BUSINESS PROGRAM
FOR LOCAL STUDENTS
The Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW) program, an
award-winning summer economics program now in its 40th
year, immerses rising high school juniors and seniors in the
world of business, allowing them to experience fi rsthand
what businesses face each day. Offered by the Foundation
for Free Enterprise Education, PFEW was founded specifi cally
to teach students about the American private enterprise
system. PFEW annually holds fi ve week-long sessions in July
and August on the campuses of Lycoming College and the
Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, serving
nearly 2,200 students and 250 volunteers each year.
At PFEW, participants are grouped into management teams
of junior executives who have been hired to turn around
under-performing manufacturing companies. These teams,
mentored by adult volunteers, operate their fi rms for a
computer-simulated three-years, competing against other
student companies, formulating production and fi nancial
strategies, developing income statements and balance sheets
and preparing marketing and advertising campaigns, all while
reacting to a variety of external factors.
The Chamber proudly supports PFEW and encourages local
companies and civic organizations to provide sponsorships for
students and, if possible, volunteers for the sessions. Every student
attends PFEW on a fully tax-deductible $625 scholarship (the actual
value of the scholarship exceeds $1,500) which is provided by a local
fi rm, foundation, civic organization, or individual. PFEW is also an
approved Educational Improvement Organization through the PA
Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. Scholarship
donors are prominently recognized in several publications circulated
throughout the state, and each student wears the name of his
or her sponsor on a photo identifi cation badge throughout the
week. Students also write a thank-you letter to their sponsors after
graduation to report on what they have learned.
The Foundation for Free Enterprise Education has also expanded its
programming to include the Stock Market Game™, an interactive in-
school game for students in grades four through 12 that teaches them
about the Stock Market and Securities Industry. For more information
on how to support or get involved with SMG, please call Jeremy
Kropf, Technology and Projects Manager at (814) 833-9576, ext. 4, or
email [email protected].
To learn more about the PFEW program, call Scott Lee, vice president
of marketing and development for the Foundation for Free Enterprise
Education at (814) 833-9576 ext. 8, or email [email protected].
PFEW is open to all current sophomores and juniors in Pennsylvania
and information on attendance, as well as program applications, can
be found at pfew.org. Questions can be directed to Amber Goss,
Schools Manager for PFEW, by calling (814) 833-9576 ext. 6, or
emailing [email protected].
www.scrantonchamber.com • 3