Project ECHO Volunteer Application

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Project ECHO and our innovative teens.

There are many ways to volunteer within our program, from mentoring high school business teens as they ideate and develop business plans in preparation to compete in the annual High School Entrepreneurs' Business Plan Competition, to serving as judges and event day volunteers.

Volunteers receive training to ensure a successful experience for both the volunteer and our teens. Volunteers do not teach the curriculum.

There are many ways to volunteer within our program! 

Business Coaches work alongside our teens to ensure their progress in our entrepreneurship curriculum.  Training will be provided to ensure you are comfortable prompting students to answer guided questions and ensure a robust business plan in time to pitch at the business plan competition.  Volunteers commit to roughly one hour a week from February to April.

Business Plan Readers will read and evaluate three business plans that have been submitted in consideration of the competition.  Business plans make up 50% of a team's score, and judges are needed to provide a fair and equitable evaluation of these plans.  Judges have a week to read the plans in advance of the competition, and will not read the plans of any teams they have personally mentored.

Competition Room Managers have an important role on competition day! This competition will be divided into multiple classrooms and Room Managers will be assigned to a specific room, ensure guests are quiet while teams are presenting, help with technology, which includes Zoom presentations, serve as pitch time keepers, assist judges as needed, and will keep the event on time.  

Event Day Volunteers are needed to help with set-up, clean-up, registration table, swag give-away table, and lunch time volunteers. Shifts are generally 4 hours.

Pitch Judges are business executives with 10+ years of professional experience who will join us on competition day, in person in Los Angeles, and listen to 8-10 presentations, and evaluate the team's business and presentations. Interested? 

Next Steps

Please note that all volunteers who interact with teens are required to complete a background check and may be invited to an interview. Once vetted, volunteers will be scheduled for their training, and assignments given.  

We appreciate our volunteers, and are excited to welcome you aboard!