At age 12, Javier Brito-Diaz already has some sound business ideas.
The South Science and Technology Magnet School seventh grader will get the chance this year to broaden his ideas and learn some good business skills.
He has been accepted into the Lima/Allen County Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA).
“I just found it interesting and thought it would help me with college,” the son of Yolanda Brito-Diaz said of why he applied. School staff also encouraged him to apply.
“I thought I could probably come up with some good businesses,” he added. “And my mom was excited for me. It will help give me something else to do.”
YEA is run locally through the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce. It is a yearlong program that teaches middle and high school students how to start and run their own legitimate business or social movement. The program was developed at the University of Rochester in 2004.
The program kicks off in November and continues through May. Javier, the only student from the Lima City Schools to be in the program, is looking forward to meeting new people.
“I will be the only one, so I will have to make new friends. But I don’t mind,” he said.
Javier’s big idea is to have a clothing store for children and teens. He is not talking just any store, but one where kids like him would want to shop.
“I want to make something that will make kids want to buy the clothes,” he said. “Instead of parents just making them buy clothes they don’t even like.”
Aside from business, Javier is also interested in engineering and hopes to take some classes once he is at Lima Senior High School. His goal is to go to college and one day combine those two interests into a good job.
His best and favorite subject in school is math, saying “it just comes easy to me.” Javier is also a member of South’s Robotics Team.