For years we’ve supported a program that arms high school students with the tools to be our next great employees—Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW). PFEW brings together students and businesspeople for a powerful hands -on learning experience immersing students in the exciting world of modern. The goal is to prepare young people for the demands of the 21st century workforce.

There’s no more urgent work than preparing young people for careers in our community, but why PFEW? In the words of 2019 PFEW graduate Brina Cartagenova: “PFEW will resonate with me for years to come, for it is an eye-opening experience for Pennsylvania youth. We arrive as wide-eyed, eager children and leave as empowered, confident leaders.” No other model educates students like PFEW, and that’s why we proudly support it.

Each student attends on a fully taxdeductible $625 sponsorship donated by a business, foundation, organization or individual, but the real value of PFEW is immeasurable. We encourage you to provide these vital sponsorships for students and, if possible, volunteer for the sessions.

All programs have one goal in mind—preparing young people for successful careers in PA. To learn more about PFEW, visit pfew.org or contact Scott Lee, VP of marketing & development at (814) 833-9576 ext. 8, or scott@pfew.org.

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s April 2021 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.