As budgets are slashed and layoffs increase, business courses for high school students are not often a priority.

Fortunately this coming year, more than 60 high school students will be taught the finer points of entrepreneurship by teachers trained to do just that thanks to an $18,850 grant from USC University Neighborhood Outreach.

The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship is one of 45 community partners funded by the outreach program, which awarded a record $1.06 million this year.

The network, which expanded to Los Angeles in 2007, has taught entrepreneurship to 4,000 local disadvantaged youth over the last three years. But the program involves more than business skills or financial literacy.

“We help them imagine possibilities and make them resourceful enough to turn their dreams into reality,” said network director Estelle Reyes. “We help them think like entrepreneurs and take ownership of their future.”

The University Neighborhood Outreach money was awarded in May after USC faculty, staff and friends raised a record amount in October through the Good Neighbors Campaign.

“The nation and the state were losing thousands of jobs in the middle of this campaign, yet the faculty and staff set a record in giving,” said Thomas Sayles, vice president of USC Government and Community Relations. “It’s because of their generosity that lives are changed.”

University Neighborhood Outreach funds programs that partner local schools and community-based organizations with USC staff, faculty and students.

“USC is working perhaps harder than any university in the country to address the signs that a student is going to drop out,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks at the awards ceremony in May.

One of the struggles for educators is not just teaching the basics, but getting students to realize their potential outside of a classroom environment, Reyes said, and that’s an area in which her network excels.

Studies by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Brandeis University and the Koch Foundation showed that Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship students increased their occupational aspirations by 44 percent and multiplied their business knowledge by 20 percent. In addition, 70 percent of network alumni went on to post-secondary education and 33 percent were running a business.

The network’s partner is professor William Crookston of the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the USC Marshall School of Business.

“[The network] does good work and [it is] changing some of the students’ minds on which way they can go in their lives,” said Crookston, an expert in social entrepreneurship.

Since starting in New York in 1987, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship has reached more than 280,000 young people with programs in 21 states and 10 countries.

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman said earlier this year that, “The president should also vow to bring the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship … to every low-income neighborhood in America.”

University Neighborhood Outreach grant programs:

Art in the Village: $24,690
Community Partners: 32nd Street/USC MAST, Foshay Learning Center, John Mack, Norwood, St. Agnes, St. Vincent, Vermont, Weemes elementary schools and University Village
University Partner: USC Fisher Museum of Art
Gives 2,000 students the opportunity to create art. Student art is displayed at University Village and the USC Fisher Museum of Art.

Expanding STARS: $27,700
Community Partner: Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School
University Partner: USC School of Pharmacy
Provides high school students with a mentored, hands-on science experience in a USC laboratory. In addition, 1,000 high school students conduct an inquiry-based research project.

HSC Community Health and Wellness Fair: $14,960
Community Partners: HSC Family of Schools
University Partner: USC Civic & Community Relations
Provides preventive health services and screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, mammograms, dental and vision for 1,200 community attendees.

HSC Health & Science Expo: $14,170
Community Partners: Griffin, Murchison and Sheridan elementary schools and Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School
University Partner: USC Civic & Community Relations
Gives basic science and health principles to 400 5th graders, including a science fair competition.

USC Thornton Outreach: $36,935
Community Partners: USC Family of Schools
University Partner: USC Thornton School of Music
Provides weekly, in-school and after-school music education programs to more than 3,600 students taught by 85 USC students.

USC Street Law Foundation: $7,000
Community Partner: New Designs Charter School and Gertz-Ressler High School
University Partner: USC Gould School of Law
70 USC law students serve as mentors for middle and high school students, providing education about law, democracy and human rights.

USC Thornton JazzReach: $38,495
Community Partners: 32nd Street/USC MAST, Foshay Learning Center, John Mack Elementary and Manual Arts High School
University Partner: USC Thornton School of Music
Develops skills and appreciation of jazz music for approximately 1,200 underserved students taught by 60 USC Thornton students.

ARTS

After ‘Cool Theatre: $27,740
Community Partner: 24th Street Theatre
University Partner: USC School of Theatre
Provides after-school theatre arts instruction.

Dance Included: $5,370
Community Partners: 32nd Street/USC MAST, John Mack, Norwood, St. Agnes, Vermont and Weemes elementary schools, Manual Arts High School and EXPO Center
University Partners: Dance Included Student Organization
Student-run program provides more than 360 school children with an education in dance. Forty USC students volunteer one hour each week.

Enter Stage Right: $27,740
Community Partner: 24th Street Theatre
University Partner: USC School of Theatre
Workshops for third-graders at 10 schools and mentorships for three USC graduate students in the discipline of teaching artistry.

SAFETY/SOCIALIZATION

Kid Watch: $50,920
Community Partners: L.A. Police Department, L.A. School Police Department, 32nd Street/USC MAST, Foshay Learning Center, John Mack, M.L. King Jr., Norwood, St. Agnes, Vermont and Weemes elementary schools and Alexander Science Center School
University Partners: USC Department of Public Safety and USC Civic and Community Relations
1,000 volunteers watch over children as they walk to and from school.

Peace Camp/Peace Kids/Youth Leadership Academy in Peacemaking: $15,220
Community Partner: The Peace Center of United University Church
University Partner: El Centro Chicano
Peacemaking education and practice and leadership training for children.

USC DPS Explorer: $21,750
Community Partners: 32nd Street/USC MAST, Manual Arts High School and Kid Watch
University Partner: USC Department of Public Safety
Youth ages 12-21 explore careers in law enforcement and public service.

USC Troy Camp: $36,030
Community Partners: Alexander Science Center School, 32nd Street/USC MAST, Foshay Learning Center, Norwood, Vermont, Weemes, St. Agnes and John Mack elementary schools and Manual Arts High School
University Partner: Troy Camp and USC Student Affairs
Provides more than 200 children with a week-long camp and year-round program through a nonprofit organization run by USC students.

HEALTH/SPORTS

After School Sports Connection: $55,040
Community Partners: St. Vincent, 32nd Street/USC MAST, Foshay Learning Center, Norwood, St. Agnes, Vermont, Weemes elementary schools and Alexander Science Center School
University Partner: USC Recreational Sports Department
Sports instruction for more than 700 neighborhood children.

From the Ground Up: $12,010
Community Partner: Community Services Unlimited, EXPO Center
University Partner: Keck School of Medicine of USC, Childhood Obesity Research Center
Trains residents in home gardening and healthy cooking to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables.

FUENTE Initiative: $7,420
Community Partners: East Los Angeles Occupational Center, the East Los Angeles Skills Center and the HSC Family of Schools
University Partner: USC School of Pharmacy
Coordinates local pharmacists and student pharmacists who provide poison prevention, appropriate drug-use and self-management education.

Kids in Sports EXPO Sports Club: $37,050
Community Partner: Kids in Sports L.A.
University Partner: USC TRIO programs
Parent-led, after school and weekend sports for more than 2,800 low-income children.

NYSP Trojan Kids Camp: $20,425
Community Partners: Kids in Sports, Manual Arts High School, 32nd Street/USC MAST, Foshay Learning Center, John Mack, Norwood, Vermont and Weemes elementary schools, Alexander Science Center School
University Partner: USC Recreational Sports
Summer camp offering sports instruction and competition for 225 boys and girls.

Proyecto Pastoral: $7,500
Community Partner: Proyecto Pastoral (Centro de Alegria)
University Partner: USC Civic and Community Relations
Conference focuses on women’s health for more than 400 females.

USC Neighborhood Mobile Dental Van Prevention Project: $37,955
Community Partners: Griffin, John Mack, Murchison, Norwood, Sheridan, St. Agnes, St. Vincent, Vermont and Weemes elementary schools, Foshay Learning Center, 32nd Street/USC MAST, Alexander Science Center School
University Partner: Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC
Purchases supplies to provide preventative oral health services to school children.

USC Physical Therapy Fit Families Program: $18,830
Community Partner: HSC Family of Schools
University Partner: Department of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy
Provides free preventive, wellness and rehabilitative physical therapy to elementary school children who are diagnosed with or at higher risk for diabetes and conditions associated with physical inactivity.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Adventures Ahead After School Program: $16,300
Community Partner: Redeemer Community Partnership
University Partner: USC School of Public Policy, Planning, and Development
Develops love of reading in 65 children six hours per week.

Community-based USC Social Work Interns: $27,610
Community Partner: USC Family of Schools
University Partner: USC Community Education Academy
Thirteen USC School of Social Work interns provide social, emotional, psychological and crisis intervention and counseling.

Connecting Literature to Life: $16,810
Community Partners: Manual Arts High School and Foshay Learning Center
University Partner: USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative
Fosters understanding of literary culture and offers an opportunity to study with urban writers and poets.

Education Consortium of Central Los Angeles: $24,570
Community Partner: Education Consortium of Central Los Angeles
University Partner: USC Civic & Community Relations
Connects educators with resources, gives teacher awards, scholarships and oversees student essay contests.

Family Science Project: $40,000
Community Partner: Iridescent
University Partner: USC Viterbi School of Engineering
Hands-on science program for fifth through seventh graders and their parents.

HSC PartnerNews Newspaper: $18,980
Community Partners: HSC Family of Schools
University Partner: USC Civic & Community Relations
Bilingual, bimonthly newspaper distributed to neighborhood families.

I HABLO U: $10,260
Community Partner: Empowerment Congress North Area Neighborhood Development Council
University Partner: USC Civic & Community Relations
English as a Second Language class and a Spanish as a Second Language class taught in tandem, with each student receiving a community member mentor who speaks the other language.

Jumpstart: $10,000
Community Partners: PACE Early Childhood Education and Maggie Hathaway Center
University Partner: USC Volunteer Center
Partners support 50 USC Readers Plus student volunteers who tutor 500 preschool children.

Junior Robotics Education: $5,000
Community Partner: Alexander Science Center School
University Partners: Information Technology, USC Libraries
Third-grade students learn to design, program and control functional models as USC students teach robotics.

MAHS Journalism: $19,780
Community Partner: Manual Arts High School
University Partner: USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism
USC journalism students provide multimedia, journalism and news literacy mentoring to students.

Mission Science – UPC: $31,800
Community Partners: John Mack, Norwood, Vermont and Weemes elementary schools, 32nd Street/USC MAST, Foshay Learning Center
University Partner: USC Viterbi School of Engineering
Elementary and middle school students learn science, engineering and technology.

Mission Science� HSC: $18,000
Community Partners: Griffin and Murchison elementary schools, Variety Boys & Girls Club
University Partner: USC Viterbi School of Engineering
Elementary and middle school students learn science, engineering and technology.

USC Greif Center Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative: $18,850
Community Partner: Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
University Partner: USC Marshall School of Business, Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
Provides entrepreneurship education programs to 500 youth with assistance from 80 USC students.

Science for Life Outreach Program: $11,670
Community Partners: Murchison Elementary and El Sereno Middle School
University Partner: Keck School of Medicine of USC, Department of Ophthalmology
Uses research of the Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems Engineering Research Center to make science relevant to children.

Team Robotics: $7,950
Community Partner: Foshay Learning Center
University Partner: USC Viterbi School of Engineering
Students design and fabricate a radio-controlled robot.

University Park Family Newspaper: $48,120
Community Partners: USC Family of Schools
University Partner: USC Civic & Community Relations
Bilingual, bimonthly newspaper distributed to neighborhood families.

USC Community Computing Center: $29,545
Community Partners: USC Family of Schools
University Partner: USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative
Provides bilingual, low-to-no-cost training in the fundamentals of computer use. Graduates receive a personal computer.

USC Family of Schools In-school Facilitators: $16,600
Community Partners: Alexander Science Center, 32nd Street/USC MAST, Foshay Learning Center, Manual Arts High School, John Mack, Norwood, Vermont and Weemes elementary schools
University Partner: USC Civic & Community Relations
Facilitators build participation, coordinate communication, assist with program scheduling and serve as liaisons between the school staff and USC administrators.

USC Law Legal Ambassadors: $3,250
Community Partner: Foshay Learning Center
University Partner: USC Gould School of Law
Black and Latino law student associations help middle school students bolster their critical thinking skills by analyzing legal issues.

USC NAI Saturday Academy: $29,260
Community Partners: Manual Arts High School and Foshay Learning Center
University Partner: USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative
Provides high school students with interactive academic experiences.

USC Neighborhood Debate League: $15,815
Community Partners: Manual Arts High School, Foshay Learning Center, Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High and 32nd Street USC/MAST
University Partner: USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism
Creates debate opportunities to strengthen critical thinking, analytic and logical reasoning, and applied research.

USC ReadersPlus: $49,545
Community Partners: Norwood, Vermont and Weemes elementary schools, 32nd Street USC/MAST and Foshay Learning Center
University Partner: USC Joint Educational Project
Undergraduate students and volunteers help 1,000 elementary school students improve math and reading skills.

USC Sea Grant Parent – Child Education Program: $13,020
Community Partner: EXPO Center
University Partner: USC Sea Grant
Develops environmental stewardship in parents and children through seven weekly sessions.

More stories about: Campaign for USC, Good Neighbors Campaign