LET’S RECAP …

On November 16th, from 4 PM to 7 PM, we hosted a memorable Friendsgiving event in collaboration with G-Code. The evening was filled with warmth, laughter, and gratitude as we came together to celebrate community and friendship. Delicious food, good vibes, and shared stories made it an unforgettable gathering for everyone involved. 

WHAT’S NEW?

As of December 5th, the Girls by Girls group is on week 8 and they are discussing healthy communication and conflict resolution skills. Adrianna serves from 5 to 13 kids a week. They’ve spoke on many different topics that many young woman go through and challenges. A few topics they spoke on were: healthy communication, different types of relationships on each level, being comfortable with your self identity, sexual orientation/sexual life, beauty standard and norms and touched on many more topics. The Girls by Girls program is coming to an end soon for the year 2024 but they will be taking new students from Middle school to High school ages 11-17. 

We’re thrilled to announce our newest project: a Soccer Website and Channel fully run by our talented students and staff! This initiative will bring you the latest soccer news, in-depth updates, and expert analyses, covering both local and international communities.   As we gear up for the 2025 World Cup, this platform will be your go-to source for all things soccer. Stay tuned for an exciting journey into the beautiful game, powered by passion and creativity! ⚽🌍 #RoadTo2025 #SoccerUpdates

LET’S RECAP …

Teen Night Out Presents Bowling Night

Norwalk high school students enjoyed an exciting evening at the **Teen Nights Out Bowling Night** on Friday, December 6, at Bowlero in Norwalk. The event, held from 7 PM to 9 PM, offered free bowling, arcade games, and delicious food, creating a fun and substance-free environment for local teens to connect and unwind. The night was filled with laughter, friendly competition, and memorable moments, making it a hit among attendees. Organized by Teen Nights Out and supported by community partners, the event showcased the importance of providing safe and engaging social opportunities for young people.

Girls by Girls Christmas Party

Norwalk high school students enjoyed an exciting evening at the **Teen Nights Out Bowling Night** on Friday, December 6, at Bowlero in Norwalk. The event, held from 7 PM to 9 PM, offered free bowling, arcade games, and delicious food, creating a fun and substance-free environment for local teens to connect and unwind. The night was filled with laughter, friendly competition, and memorable moments, making it a hit among attendees. Organized by Teen Nights Out and supported by community partners, the event showcased the importance of providing safe and engaging social opportunities for young people.

Teen Night Out Presents Ice Skating Night 

On December 19th, the **Girls by Girls** group wrapped up their final gathering of the year with a festive Christmas party filled with joy and creativity. The evening was packed with holiday cheer as the girls made and decorated ornaments, showcasing their artistic talents. They enjoyed delicious snacks and pizza, filling the room with laughter and good conversation. The celebration continued with dancing, singing, and watching holiday-themed movies, creating a warm and memorable atmosphere. It was the perfect way to close out the year, bringing the group together for fun, bonding, and celebration.

WHAT’S COMMING UP?

**Exciting News!**  

We’re moving to a new location! As we continue to grow and expand our impact, we’re excited to announce that we’re relocating from 25 Van Zant St. to 11 Belden Ave., Norwalk, CT.  This move marks the beginning of many great things in store for the Fairfield community—new opportunities, expanded programs, and a stronger commitment to serving and empowering those around us. Stay tuned for more updates, and we can’t wait to welcome you to our new space!

Coming Summer 2025 Get ready for our Business Development Program designed for teens looking to build skills, gain hands-on experience, and explore the world of entrepreneurship. Stay tuned for more details—big opportunities are on the way! 🚀

With Gratitude & Appreciation

We’re moving to a new location! As we continue to grow and expand our impact, we’re excited to announce that we’re relocating from 25 Van Zant St. to 11 Belden Ave., Norwalk, CT.  This move marks the beginning of many great things in store for the Fairfield community—new opportunities, expanded programs, and a stronger commitment to serving and empowering those around us. Stay tuned for more updates, and we can’t wait to welcome you to our new space!

Celebrating 5 Years of Youth Empowerment & Entrepreneurship!

Thank You for Joining Us!

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended our YBI Funders Briefing on April 9th. It was a beautiful turnout, and we’re grateful to have spent the morning reflecting on our journey, sharing impact stories, and building with those who believe in the power of youth entrepreneurship.

Your presence and continued support mean so much to us. As we celebrate 5 years of impact, we’re more motivated than ever to keep pushing forward—and we couldn’t do it without you.

Here’s to continued growth, stronger partnerships, and a bright future for our youth!

Thank You for 5 Incredible Years!

As we celebrate five incredible years of Youth Business Initiative, we want to take a moment to say thank you to the amazing community that has helped make this journey possible.

To our former and current staff, key funders, community organizations, and dedicated partners — your support, passion, and belief in our mission have played a vital role in YBI’s growth and success.

Because of you, we’ve been able to provide meaningful opportunities, empower youth voices, and build a stronger future for the next generation.

We are deeply grateful for your partnership and look forward to continuing this important work — together.

Here’s to the next five!

With appreciation,
The YBI Team

This mentorship program is designed to support at-risk youth who are struggling with school engagement, facing potential dropout, or navigating challenges within the justice system.

By connecting them with committed mentors and providing enriching activities, the program fosters academic achievement, emotional resilience, and personal development, empowering participants to build a brighter future.

Exciting News: Our New Creative & Business Hub is Open!

We’re thrilled to announce that our new space is officially open! Designed to support young entrepreneurs, creatives, and community leaders, our space offers incredible resources to bring your ideas to life.

✨ Multimedia Room – Whether you need a space for photoshoots, podcasts, meetings, or content creation, this dynamic room is ready for you.

🎶 Music Production Room – Equipped with a full studio setup, computers, and tablets, this space is perfect for artists, producers, and anyone looking to explore music production.

📅 Upcoming Programs – We’re hosting a variety of programs, including:
🔹 10-Week Business Development Program – Helping young entrepreneurs turn ideas into businesses.
🔹 Mentoring Program – Connecting youth with experienced professionals for guidance and growth.
🔹 Girls by Girls Support Group – A safe space for young women to share, learn, and empower each other.

And this is just the beginning! Stay tuned for more opportunities to collaborate, learn, and create in our new space.

💡 Want to host an event? Our space is available for community events, workshops, and more. Book today! 

📍 Visit us at: 11 Belden Ave Norwalk, CT 06850 2nd floor

Thank You for Joining Us! We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended our YBI Funders Briefing on April 9th. It was a beautiful turnout, and we’re grateful to have spent the morning reflecting on our journey, sharing impact stories, and building with those who believe in the power of youth entrepreneurship. Your presence and continued support mean so much to us. As we celebrate 5 years of impact, we’re more motivated than ever to keep pushing forward—and we couldn’t do it without you. Here’s to continued growth, stronger partnerships, and a bright future for our youth!

 Save the Date: YBI Funders Youth Business Initiative: 5 Years of Empowerment & Community Impact | YBI StoryBriefing

Thank You for 5 Incredible Years!

📅 Save the Date: YBI Giving Day

Mark your calendars for YBI Giving Day on July 23rd, 2025! This is 24 hours dedicated to making a difference as we aim to raise $15,000 to support vital initiatives, including:

✅ Mental Health Resources
✅ Advancing Economic Mobility
✅ Access to Sports & Recreation
✅ Empowering Disconnected Youth

Every contribution helps create opportunities for the next generation. Together, we can build stronger futures!

📍 Location: 11 Belden Ave, 2nd Floor, Norwalk, CT 06851
🌐 Learn More & Donate: www.ybict.org
📢 Spread the word using #YBIGivingDay

Join us in making a lasting impact!

Programs

We’re excited to launch our Middle School Girls Support Group, a welcoming and empowering space for young women to connect, share, and grow. This program creates a vibrant community where girls come together to build friendships, overcome challenges, and celebrate who they are. Participants will engage in fun, meaningful activities every Tuesday and enjoy a supportive environment that encourages open conversations, confidence, and individuality. 🗓️ Orientation: May 6th, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM 🚀 Program Starts: May 13th, 2025 | 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM 📍 Location: 11 Belden Ave, 2nd Floor, Norwalk, CT 06851 Only 8 spots available! Encourage the young girls in your life to sign up today.

SIGN UP TODAY

Are you a high school student with a business idea or a passion for entrepreneurship? YBI is excited to launch our Summer 2025 Business Development Program — a 10-week experience designed to equip youth with the skills, mentorship, and real-world tools needed to turn their ideas into real ventures. Participants will receive a $150 stipend, hands-on training, and guidance in areas like marketing, financial literacy, and business planning. 📍 Location: 11 Belden Ave, 2nd Floor, Norwalk, CT 🕒 Start Date: Summer 2025 (exact dates TBD) Stay tuned for application info and help us spread the word!

SIGN UP TODAY

We’re Looking for Mentors! Youth Business Initiative is currently recruiting mentors for our upcoming programs, and we’re seeking individuals with lived experience who are passionate about empowering youth in our community. If you’re 28 or older and want to make a difference, this is your chance. Mentors will undergo a 3-day training covering key topics including: Conflict Resolution Mental Health Awareness & Support CPR & First Aid Responding to Youth in Distress and more.  Limited spots available  Stipend provided We’re especially looking for mentors who can relate to and connect with our disengaged and disconnected youth. If this sounds like you—or someone you know—sign up today

SIGN UP TODAY

YBI Celebrates 5 Years! 🎉

This month marks a major milestone—YBI’s 5th anniversary! Five years of growth, creativity, and building a community that continues to inspire us every day. From our humble beginnings to where we stand now—with a brand-new space at 11 Belden Ave—this journey has been nothing short of incredible.

We wouldn’t be here without the dedication of our previous staff, the organizations that have collaborated with us, and the key funders who believed in our vision. Your support has been instrumental in making YBI what it is today, and we’re beyond grateful for every contribution, partnership, and moment that has shaped our path.

Here’s to new opportunities, bigger visions, and the next five years of success! Stay tuned—we’re just getting started! 🚀

What’s New?

We’ve Officially Moved In & We’re Open for Bookings!
It’s official—we’ve moved into our new space at 11 Belden Ave in Norwalk, CT, and we’re ready to bring it to life! Our versatile venue is now open for event bookings, offering an open layout for up to 300 guests, a multimedia room for creative productions, and all the amenities needed for an unforgettable experience.As we settle in, March marks a major milestone—YBI’s 5th anniversary! We’re excited to see what’s in store for us in this next chapter and can’t wait to celebrate, collaborate, and grow with our community.If you’re looking for the perfect space to host your next event, we’re ready for you! Book now and be a part of our journey.📍 11 Belden Ave, Norwalk, CT
📞 Contact us at 203-952-9580 to reserve your date!

Programs

This mentorship program is designed to support at-risk youth who are struggling with school engagement, facing potential dropout, or navigating challenges within the justice system. By connecting them with committed mentors and providing enriching activities, the program fosters academic achievement, emotional resilience, and personal development, empowering participants to build a brighter future.

Welcome to the YBI Community!

We are excited to announce upcoming events that will provide opportunities, build community involvement, and provide a space for the youth to cultivate their ideas. YBI is in a complete transition to better assist our students to create a better future for them as well as better our community. Our mission is to provide the fundamental principles of business management to encourage entrepreneurship and career-building.

YBI Student Showcase Presentation
On September 13, 2021 YBI held our first student showcase. Our students had the opportunity to present their projects that they worked on during the Entrepreneurship Program.

The Entrepreneurship Program is the second part of our educational program where our students were able to apply what they learned during their Dissecting Business course series into a mock business activity. During the program, the students were challenged with operating a food truck business. The class was divided into three groups. They were tasked with creating their business plan, researching their market and target audience, and learning to collaborate with their team.

During this project, the students learned the process of creating a business on paper through legal documents and certifications, understanding the regulations and policies businesses have to comply with, effective communication, assigning tasks and roles, accounting, HR policies and procedures, and presentation skills.

The Winners!

Kannabis Kingdom

The winning team was Kannabis Kingdom. The group received a $500 monetary YBI scholarship. Their presentation captivated the judges through their well-thought out business plan, understanding the business challenges with serving cannabis infused items, developing creative solutions, and overall enthusiasm and confidence with presenting their idea. Congrats to these hard working students!

Our Team

Our team is composed of three individuals who volunteer their time to assist with enrichment of the students who attend YBI’s educational program. We are pointing the spotlight on these individuals for their dedication, commitment, and passion towards bettering the lives of our students. Their mentorship and leadership has not gone unnoticed. A special thanks to Amanda Feurtado for the creating the curriculum, programs, materials, and knowledge that made it possible for our students to showcase their skills.

A Message to Our Sponsors
We want to also extend our deepest gratitude for your support. Thank you for attending our event. We value being able to share our students’ accomplishments with the people who also believe in their success.

Special Recognition
A special shoutout to those who participated on our judge panel: Kate Ritter (The Ritter Foundation), Michael Litt (Bareburger), Jay McKinney (Jerkyz), and Anthony Hill (Connecticut Cobras Basketball Team)