Thank you for your interest in Enterprise for High School Students as we continue challenging youth to discover their future!
Enterprise for High School Students began in 1969 as a totally volunteer driven organization, helping a handful of students find summer jobs. Now, more than thirty-five years later, with the stewardship and support of the Board of Directors, the dedication and talent of a superior staff, and the partnership of the community, Enterprise has a full array of remarkably effective nationally recognized award-winning programs.
Look back over Enterprise’s history and you will see that much of the organization’s growth has occurred over the past nine years. The catalyst was a mission and vision clarification exercise that culminated in the expansion of services and the subsequent creation of a five-year strategic plan. The mission statement was revised and vision and values statements were created for the first time. The strategic planning process confirmed Enterprise’s focus on youth employment and providing high school students with not only jobs, but also training, experiential opportunities, counseling and support to assist them as they prepare for success in their adult lives. This led Enterprise to incorporate best practices for youth development (relationship building, education and skill building, experiencing a physically and emotionally safe workplace, participation and leadership, and involvement in one’s own community and awareness of others) throughout the organization.
From its inception, Enterprise has always challenged the youth with which it has worked, helping them understand that they have control and responsibility for their own lives. Enterprise is proud that it has always looked at youth as being strengths, (not problems) and this is reflective in all of our programs.
As we look to the future, and the opportunities Enterprise will have to continue to expand, we are fully confident in the strength and direction of Enterprise. Our Board and staff along with our donors, volunteers and community partners will ensure we pioneer innovative and effective program services in direct response to the ever-changing needs of San Francisco’s youth.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters for their commitment to Enterprise and most importantly, the commitment to the youth of San Francisco and the realization of our mission; to increase student preparedness to explore and pursue career paths through training, counseling and guidance; to offer a variety of experiential options within the work world; and to provide a support network to raise youth’s personal expectations for success.
