Breakthrough Training Center Wins Big at UCLA’s Project Echo Competition!

​COVID-19 presented Breakthrough Training Center’s Teen Entrepreneurship Workshop unprecedented challenges: pivoting to a completely virtual model using a combination of online communication tools, discovering how to forge strong team dynamics despite never meeting in-person, and ideating and executing sustainable business concepts that could be carried out even in the midst of a pandemic. In the midst of all of these unique challenges, our students thrived and our coaching team adapted, embracing the hurdles as new opportunities to innovate and cover uncharted territory. Using a combination of in-class lessons, working group sessions, business models, guest-speakers, and other resources, our coaching team, under the direction of lead coach, Ray Chou, remained resilient. And our efforts paid off!

​On Sunday, May 17th our entrepreneurship students competed in the 17th annual Project Echo High School Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition, sponsored by the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Over 200 students and over 36 teams competed in the virtual pitch competition and eleven teams took home prize money ranging from $250 to $2000, in addition to valuable personal and professional skills.

​Here’s what Ray had to say:
"The award feels like we're on the right path in terms of what we want to accomplish with our school and programs. I'm grateful to Project ECHO for the opportunity, recognition, and most of all providing a platform for young high schoolers to experience entrepreneurship firsthand."

​We’re so proud of all of our teams who competed in Project Echo—every student who followed through, persisted, and dared to dream BIG with us!