Teen Entrepreneurs Complete "Intern for a Day" Experience with "Shark" Daymond John

NEW YORK, March 22, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Yesterday, five students were put through the paces when they met business icon Daymond John, star of Shark Tank and Founder and CEO of FUBU, the hip hop apparel company at The Shark Group office in New York City. The students earned the once-in-a-lifetime experience through their participation in the SAP Social Innovation Series powered by GENYOUth's AdVenture Capital (AdCap) program. Structured as a multi-city series of innovation workshops, the Social Innovation Series was created to foster student-led solutions that drive healthy changes in schools, while giving students the unique opportunity to practice design thinking and entrepreneurship alongside SAP employees across the country.

Over the past year, 180 students attended the Social Innovation Series events in Boston, Dallas and Phoenix. In each city, students developed and pitched ideas to a panel of judges (consisting of SAP executives) in what has been described as a "mini-Shark Tank-style" competition. Ten students from each location received funding for their school, and three teams received the grand prize of a trip to New York City to learn from SAP and Daymond John.

Winning students:

• Jewell, Hillcrest High School (Dallas, TX), "Cart Cuisine": A mobile lunch cart to help students stay on time by offering grab n go options.
• Arianna and Cassandra, Southeastern Regional Vocational High School (Boston, MA), "Operation Rooftop": Collaborate with existing clubs to grow produce, share smoothie recipes and collaborate with culinary clubs to run healthy taste test competitions.
• Jacob and Jade, Mountain Ridge High School (Phoenix, AZ), "Take a Stand": Implement standing desk programs into the school day by working with the engineering clubs to build and maintain the desks.

Daymond's most recent book, Rise and Grind is his second New York Times Bestseller.  During their time together, Daymond shared his personal stories and interviews from the book about never giving up and always working hard to achieve great things in career and life.  The student attendees will use Daymond John's inspiring words and the experience of learning from him and his team at The Shark Group as motivation to continue their entrepreneurial efforts back at their schools.  After meeting with Daymond John, each student also spoke with other Shark Group team members about a variety of work roles and potential future career opportunities.

"Good mentors are one of the most important pieces of building a successful business.  They're the reason I am where I am today, and why I joined Shark Tank," said John. "I love helping entrepreneurs move their businesses forward and I'm excited to meet and mentor the SAP teen innovators who are learning what it means to be an entrepreneur at a young age.  GENYOUth's AdVenture Capital program sparks the passion that many young people have in them to do good, and I'll invest in that passion every time."

SAP partnered with GENYOUth to bring the time and talent of its employees to bear for students.  To date over 600 employees have contributed nearly 1600 volunteer hours through AdVenture Capital to help students across the country become social entrepreneurs and learn invaluable 21^st century skills that help them to be more prepared to enter the workforce.

"When SAP first conceived the Social Innovation Series with GENYOUth, we never could have imagined the breadth of ideas young entrepreneurs would bring to life in their communities, nor the types of opportunities they would be afforded through our partnership," said DJ Paoni, President of SAP North America. "We're grateful to Daymond John and The Shark Group team for generously donating their time to support our Teen Innovators, and we're honored to be a part of these students' entrepreneurial journeys." 

AdVenture Capital empowers passionate student entrepreneurs to create healthy school communities. Conceived in 2013, the program is open to students ages 13-17 across the country and provides funding, resources and the support of business mentors to help students cultivate and implement their ideas that improve access to healthy foods and increase opportunities for physical activity in their schools and communities.  In the process of thinking and acting as entrepreneurs, students develop 21st century skills that help them to succeed in school and in life. 

To learn more about AdVenture Capital and to view the AdVenture Capital 2017 Progress Report: "Empowering America's Next Generation of Social Entrepreneurs," visit adcapyouth.org.

About AdVenture Capital
AdVenture Capital ("AdCap") is a social entrepreneurship program of GENYOUth, which provides funding, mentoring and experiences to students ages 13 and older with ideas for improving health and wellness in their schools and communities. To learn more, visit the digital platform at www.adcapyouth.org.

About SAP
As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device ? SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 378,000 business and public sector customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

About Daymond John
From the streets of Hollis, Queens, Daymond John started a global movement from the basement of his mother's house by capitalizing on the then fledgling hip-hop culture. John initially made his mark as the entrepreneur and branding expert behind the groundbreaking lifestyle brand, FUBU, which eclipsed more than $6 billion in global retail sales. Today, the streetwear market that FUBU pioneered is a $20 billion industry.  Beyond FUBU, John recently wrapped up his ninth season of ABC's three-time Emmy Award winning series, Shark Tankwhere as an original cast member he continues to be a fan favorite and earned the affectionate nickname, "The People's Shark." Earlier this year, John released his fourth book, Rise and Grind which became an instant New York Times bestseller.  The book takes an up-close look at the hard-charging routines and winning secrets of individuals who have risen to the challenges in their lives and grinded their way to the very tops of their fields.  In addition to being a two-time New York Times bestselling author, John continues his commitment to small business and entrepreneurship and has been recognized at the highest levels including being named a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship under the Obama Administration.

About GENYOUth
GENYOUth empowers students to create a healthier future for themselves and their peers by convening a network of private and public partners to raise funds for youth wellness initiatives that bolster healthy, high-achieving students, schools and communities nationwide. We believe that all students are change-agents, who deserve the opportunity to identify and lead innovative solutions that positively impact nutrition, physical activity, and student success. For more information about GENYOUth, visit www.genyouthnow.org.

SOURCE GENYOUth