The Adolph Coors Foundation Sparks a "FIRE" To Launch Youth Social Entrepreneurship Program

Aug. 11, 2011 - PRLog -- Denver, Colo. - August 11, 2011. – The Carson J Spencer Foundation recently announced that the Adolph Coors Foundation has awarded $500,000 to launch The FIRE Within program in 80 high school classrooms across Colorado.  The Rocky Mountain region has the highest suicide rate in the nation, and this program engages youth to help solve that problem.  

The program contains an innovative twist on traditional business education.  In addition to teaching kids about marketing plans and Profit and Loss statements, the program trains high school students to create market‐based solutions to prevent youth suicide.  

Partnering with Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain, Inc. and the Second Wind Fund, The FIRE Within program takes students through a year‐long course in social entrepreneurship, mental health advocacy, and leadership training, which results in youth‐run social enterprises that raise revenue and awareness for suicide prevention. FIRE is an acronym for Future, Innovative, Resilient Entrepreneurs.

“Hats off to these young entrepreneurs and the incredibly innovative leaders at the Carson Spencer Foundation,” said Pete Coors, chairman of the Adolph Coors Foundation.    

“Colorado kids are getting hands-on experience in running a business, while at the same time preventing the unthinkable grief of teen suicide,” Coors said.

“We hope our foundation’s involvement will encourage others to donate,” Coors said.

“Most business skills courses take youth to the plan development stage and end there,” said Sally Spencer-Thomas, Executive Director, Carson J Spencer Foundation.

“The FIRE Within program helps youth implement their business ideas, which is where the real learning occurs,” Spencer said.  

Spencer said the program expects to engage 1,600 young leaders who will take action in their communities and, in the process, create 80 innovative social enterprises which will impact 160,000 Coloradans by 2015.    

Midway through the year, youth in The FIRE Within program compete for micro‐grants to seed fund their enterprises, then receive mentoring from local community leaders as they develop and run their viable businesses. In doing this, youth become bold and independent thinkers, form highly functional and collaborative teams, become caring and empathetic corporate citizens, and resilient mental health advocates.

Students also receive intensive training on what it means to become a suicide prevention advocate. As they build their businesses, they conduct a thorough needs assessment in their communities to better understand the struggles students experience, the barriers they face when accessing mental health care, and the resources available to them. They come out the other side of the experience better equipped to help their peers and themselves. Many students’ experiences are transformative.  “This program isn’t just about changing the world.  It’s about changing me too,” said Kiana Johnson, a student at Career Education Center (CEC) Middle College of Denver.

“The Carson J Spencer Foundation and Junior Achievement did such a good job of setting up and running the program,” says Teacher Stacey Hervey of CEC Middle College in Denver. “The students grew so much. It changed who they were and how they thought. It made them look outside of their own lives and really want to help others.”
Rangeview High School in Aurora won the year-long competition in 2011.  They conducted a school-wide survey and determined that bullying was the root cause to suicidal thoughts at their school. In response to this, they developed a social enterprise selling stylish wristbands that say “I Choose to Live, I Choose to Love.” In the first two days, they sold out of 300 wristbands. Within two months, the youth had sold 1,000 wristbands and netted a profit of over $1,500.  By the end of the year, 91 percent of students at Rangeview were aware of the campaign, and 74 percent felt confident standing up to a bully.

The Adolph Coors Foundation grant includes $300,000 operating expenses and a $200,000 challenge grant to encourage others to donate to the program.  

To learn more about The FIRE Within program or make a donation, visit: http://www.carsonjspencer.org/firewithin.html

About the Carson J Spencer Foundation – Sustaining a Passion for Life
The Carson J Spencer Foundation (www.CarsonJSpencer.org) is a Colorado nonprofit, established in 2005.  We envision a world where leaders and communities are committed to sustaining a passion for life. We sustain a passion for life by:
•   Delivering innovative and effective suicide prevention programs for working-aged people
•   Coaching young leaders to develop social enterprises for mental health promotion and suicide prevention
•   Supporting people bereaved by suicide

About the Adolph Coors Foundation
The Adolph Coors Foundation is a charitable family foundation that has donated over $168 million to more than 1,500 Colorado nonprofits since 1976.