October 7, 2009

Challenge Hoover High School student Brandon Duran is in New York City today competing in the Oppenheimer Funds/NFTE National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge with the chance to win up to $10,000. The challenge is part of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) program under the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University, Fresno.

Duran, 18, developed “Game On,” a video game tournament organizer that had beat out six first-place winners from other schools at the Regional Business Plan Competition in May. At the NFTE National Competition Oct. 7-9, his business plan goes up against 26 other students from across the country.

“I am a little bit nervous competing against 26 other students, but I am confident that I will succeed,” said Duran.

The Lyles Center has been running the NFTE program for four years. All logistics of the program including teacher training, relevant site field trips, guest speaker appearances and networking events are provided by the Lyles Center. For students like Duran, the NFTE program is an avenue to realize goals that may not have seemed possible.

“It gave me a new understanding as to what I am capable of accomplishing,” said Duran. A.J. Johnston, program coordinator from the Lyles Center, and Genelle Taylor, associate director at the Lyles Center, are accompanying Duran.

NFTE was established in 1987 as a nonprofit international organization that provides entrepreneurship education for youth from low income communities. NFTE has worked with more than 280,000 young people and has programs in 22 states and 12 countries.

The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is one of the leading entrepreneurial centers in California. The Lyles Center aims to help both the community and students achieve their entrepreneurial goals. For more information on The Lyles Center, visit the Web site at  or call Taylor at 559.294.2045 or 347.6832.