My Nonprofit Reviews

As the author of a young adult novel, Animal Kingdom, and director of the website, Business-Minded Teens, I can appreciate the real-life business experiences that are taking place in the Dons Net Cafe. Much more than a virtual reality class--these students are running real businesses!--the Dons Net Cafe is a brilliant introduction to the world of entrepreneurship. Here, students learn the structure of a business organization, what it takes to make a sale and--just as important--how to plow their profits back into the community to do good in the world. They sell bracelets from Africa, fair-traded coffee, cookies made by homeless people and tote bags made from Indonesian garbage as well as their own homegrown tee-shirts. In addition, they help out other non-profits at events and in support capacities. Their teacher, Lee Knoedel, brings in business resources from around the community: people such as I who tutor, lecture and mentor in computers, English skills, photography, layout, sales and a myriad of other competencies. I wish I had had this opportunity when I was in high school!

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