Mayor Brandon Johnson, BACP, CPS Welcome Hundreds of Students to Chicago Youth Biz Expo

Mayor Brandon Johnson, BACP, CPS Welcome Hundreds of Students to Chicago Youth Biz Expo

The expo connected 200+ young Chicagoans with business resources, entrepreneurial programming, and opportunities to turn their ideas into reality.

CHICAGO - Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), in partnership with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) held the 3rd annual Chicago Youth Biz Expo at Malcolm X College. The expo brought together more than 200 CPS Career and Technical Education high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in exploring entrepreneurship and developing their business ideas. Students participated in an interactive workshop where they presented business plans and received feedback from a panel of judges.

"When we provide our young people the opportunity to explore their entrepreneurial potential, we empower them to find their calling, make positive change in their communities, and shape the future of our city," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "Today's Expo builds upon our commitment to investing in youth across Chicago and cultivating the next class of leaders who will power Chicago's economy for decades to come."

Today's attendees participate in CPS' Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, which provide students with career-focused, experiential learning opportunities to explore industries and gain marketable skills while still in high school. Students apply academic knowledge in real work settings and can earn industry-recognized certifications to help them transition directly into jobs or college. You can learn more about CTE pathways and programming at cps.edu/academics/career-and-technical-education.

"We are proud to invest in the next generation of entrepreneurs who will help shape the future of our communities," said BACP Acting Commissioner Tiffany Brooks. "The Chicago Youth Biz Expo connected students with hands-on learning experiences and opportunities to explore entrepreneurship, reinforcing the City's commitment to helping young people turn their ideas into action."

"CPS consistently collaborates with community partners to connect students with opportunities like the Chicago Youth Biz Expo," said Superintendent/CEO Dr. Macquline King. "This event inspires students to explore entrepreneurship and develop the skills needed to become the next generation of business leaders in Chicago. We are thankful to our partners for their support."

The expo featured a keynote address from Erin Polk, Owner of Erin's Cup, located in Morgan Park. Polk is a 20-year-old entrepreneur who launched Erin's Cup, a Chicago-based coffee and catering business she launched at just 17-years-old. What began as a young entrepreneur's passion for coffee and creating memorable experiences has grown into a thriving business offering specialty beverages, food, catering, and mobile coffee services.

"Being the keynote speaker at the Chicago Youth Biz Expo was an incredible opportunity to share my entrepreneurial journey and inspire other young people to pursue their ideas," said Erin Polk, Owner of Erin's Cup. "Entrepreneurship teaches you to believe in yourself, embrace challenges, and turn your vision into something real. This expo gave me the opportunity to remind students that we can turn our passions into businesses that make a difference in our communities."

Additionally, Junior Achievement and the Gray Matter Experience led a "Team-Based Innovation Challenge" workshop. During this collaborative session, the organizations guided students to work in teams to tackle a real-world city issue. Students identified a major challenge affecting Chicago, designed an innovative solution, and shared ideas. In this interactive session, students gained skills to create a purposeful idea that aligned with business goals.

"At Junior Achievement of Chicago, we believe that entrepreneurship is about more than starting a business. It's about recognizing opportunities, thinking creatively, and finding solutions to real-world challenges," said Maria V. Ramos, Senior Vice President of Education & Operations, Junior Achievement of Chicago. "Through our collaboration with the City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools, and Gray Matter Experience, we're proud to provide hands-on learning experiences that strengthen students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. Together, we are empowering young people to recognize their potential, explore new opportunities, and develop the skills they need to succeed in an ever-changing world."

"It was an honor to co-lead a workshop at the Chicago Youth Business Expo and help unlock the potential of youth through entrepreneurship as a pathway for personal growth and community transformation," said Oluwatobi Oladejo, Program Coordinator, The Gray Matter Experience. "At Gray Matter, we're committed to connecting youth to the education, mentorship, and experiences that ignite ownership, possibility, and lasting change."

BACP hosts Chicago Business Resource Expos multiple times a year at different citywide locations and online. These free events are open to the public and offer business resources such as City of Chicago business licensing consultants, tax clinic, financial advisors, workshops, professional headshots, networking and more. For upcoming expos, visit Chicago.gov/BizExpo.

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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is dedicated to providing a high-quality education to all students, beginning with the District's free full-day preschool programming for four-yearold scholars and continuing through neighborhood, magnet and selective-enrollment elementary schools that provide a rigorous K-12 education with schools that specialize in the fine arts, world language and culture, dual language, STEM, International Baccalaureate (IB), classical programs, and more. The rising District-wide freshmen-on-track and high school graduation rates reflect the hard work of the CPS community, including families, staff, and students across 635 schools. CPS celebrates the diversity of its more than 315,00 students who cite nearly two hundred home languages. Learn more about CPS at www.cps.edu and connect with CPS on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.