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ABC News Interview Teen Entrepreneurship program
P.O.O.F Event & Training Center.
P.O.O.F is a double  acronym that stands for
Planning Our Own Future /
Planning Our Own Funeral
This program will focus on youth 13-18 who are motivated and inspired to do something wonderful.
POOF is a program designed to provide teenagers the opportunity to learn entrepreneurship trades and event planning skills while leaving a positive legacy behind in Durham, NC.
I gave birth to my first child when I was 19, and knew that he had two things working against him from the start: he was a black male, and his father was in prison. I spent years working around-the-clock to make the world open to him and his younger sister - sending them off to sports, arts camps, engineering camps, anything to keep them busy. By the time he was a teenager he found his interests, and I could hardly take credit for the rest.
P.O.O.F. is a center to help students find their passions. P.O.O.F. is focused on financial self-sufficiency, and will revolve around three month entrepreneurship programs where students learn a trade that can start making them money instantly, no certification required (phone screen repair, shoe design , window tinting, etc). P.O.O.F. participants will also be encouraged, and taught how to, open bank accounts. On top of this, we’re working to provide tutors for students to help with their schoolwork, and to help connect students with college advisors. P.O.O.F. is planning on having guest speakers - activists, journalists, entrepreneurs, and more come in to talk with students. Students will be taken on field trips, and introduced to places and ways of life they wouldn’t have the chance to see otherwise. P.O.O.F. will also build on my work with Durham’s unhoused community, with service work required weekly from students.
When kids get out of school in Durham, there’s not many places to go P.O.O.F. will be open till eight every weeknight to serve as an safe house. It’s important to me that P.O.O.F, a space of possibility and promise, exists in the Village, one of the stigmatized neighborhoods in Durham. I want the students to see that anything is possible in a place where people say nothing is.
As of right now, P.O.O.F. is entirely self-funded. I began having the vision for P.O.O.F. years ago, and founded my own business, Photo Booth Therapy, to pay for it. All of the renovation costs, have been paid for out of pocket. P.O.O.F. will be rented out on the weekends to help off-set the costs of the building, with 100% of the rental proceeds going toward funding our programs. I know P.O.O.F. I’ve worked two full time jobs, to make this happen. P.O.O.F. is needed now more than ever. Every dollar you give will help change lives and entire communities in Durham. Come see us in the Village. Come learn with us, build with us, and help us bring the children of East Durham into a brighter future.
FAQ
1. How many students are allowed per cohort?
25
2. How long is each cohort?
90 days
Jan-March,
April-June
off July & August
Sept-Nov
Off Dec
3. Can I give my time?
Yes, you can, but that comes with a commitment. Our desire at poof is to build meaningful relationships with each teen and mentor that last beyond their time at POOF
4. Is there a fee for children to participate?
Yes, there is a fee, however, we will NEVER turn any student away. Our hope is to build strong partnerships with local organizations that donate their funds and time to ensure these students thrive within this program.
5. Is there an application process for students who are interested?
Yes, there is an application process. Our goal at POOF is to prepare each teen with real-life experiences, and that means applying to this program just like a job/ or applying for an LLC.
Thank you in advance
P.O.O.F Event & Training Center.
P.O.O.F is a double  acronym that stands for
Planning Our Own Future /
Planning Our Own Funeral
This program will focus on youth 13-18 who are motivated and inspired to do something wonderful.
POOF is a program designed to provide teenagers the opportunity to learn entrepreneurship trades and event planning skills while leaving a positive legacy behind in Durham, NC.
I gave birth to my first child when I was 19, and knew that he had two things working against him from the start: he was a black male, and his father was in prison. I spent years working around-the-clock to make the world open to him and his younger sister - sending them off to sports, arts camps, engineering camps, anything to keep them busy. By the time he was a teenager he found his interests, and I could hardly take credit for the rest.
P.O.O.F. is a center to help students find their passions. P.O.O.F. is focused on financial self-sufficiency, and will revolve around three month entrepreneurship programs where students learn a trade that can start making them money instantly, no certification required (phone screen repair, shoe design , window tinting, etc). P.O.O.F. participants will also be encouraged, and taught how to, open bank accounts. On top of this, we’re working to provide tutors for students to help with their schoolwork, and to help connect students with college advisors. P.O.O.F. is planning on having guest speakers - activists, journalists, entrepreneurs, and more come in to talk with students. Students will be taken on field trips, and introduced to places and ways of life they wouldn’t have the chance to see otherwise. P.O.O.F. will also build on my work with Durham’s unhoused community, with service work required weekly from students.
When kids get out of school in Durham, there’s not many places to go P.O.O.F. will be open till eight every weeknight to serve as an safe house. It’s important to me that P.O.O.F, a space of possibility and promise, exists in the Village, one of the stigmatized neighborhoods in Durham. I want the students to see that anything is possible in a place where people say nothing is.
As of right now, P.O.O.F. is entirely self-funded. I began having the vision for P.O.O.F. years ago, and founded my own business, Photo Booth Therapy, to pay for it. All of the renovation costs, have been paid for out of pocket. P.O.O.F. will be rented out on the weekends to help off-set the costs of the building, with 100% of the rental proceeds going toward funding our programs. I know P.O.O.F. I’ve worked two full time jobs, to make this happen. P.O.O.F. is needed now more than ever. Every dollar you give will help change lives and entire communities in Durham. Come see us in the Village. Come learn with us, build with us, and help us bring the children of East Durham into a brighter future.
FAQ
1. How many students are allowed per cohort?
25
2. How long is each cohort?
90 days
Jan-March,
April-June
off July & August
Sept-Nov
Off Dec
3. Can I give my time?
Yes, you can, but that comes with a commitment. Our desire at poof is to build meaningful relationships with each teen and mentor that last beyond their time at POOF
4. Is there a fee for children to participate?
Yes, there is a fee, however, we will NEVER turn any student away. Our hope is to build strong partnerships with local organizations that donate their funds and time to ensure these students thrive within this program.
5. Is there an application process for students who are interested?
Yes, there is an application process. Our goal at POOF is to prepare each teen with real-life experiences, and that means applying to this program just like a job/ or applying for an LLC.
Thank you in advance
Co-organizers (2)
Destiny Alexander
Organizer
Durham, NC
Cy Neff
Co-organizer