Page 50 - May-June-July Life In Naples

2 I t’s time for Collier County to experience the authentic
contributions that people with developmental
6 disabilities can make in our community. The LEAP
Ahead Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
4 provides custom training programs for these amazing
people. We support each individual’s life and employment
goals by providing skills enhancement and creating

1 new and unique workforce training opportunities. This
directly benefits Collier County businesses by providing
access to a new, previously untapped talent pool. Further,
the LEAP Ahead Foundation is leading the way towards
eliminating the gap of services for individuals with
developmental disabilities ages 16-26 transitioning from
school to life.
The LEAP Entrepreneurship Club is currently being
piloted at Golden Gate High School. The program will
provide a unique, student-centered entrepreneurial
experience for students enrolled in modified curriculum
courses while simultaneously creating a revolutionary
bridge from the classroom to commerce.Participants will
name their business, decide on a product to sell, make
items to sell, decide how to market and where to sell
their product, sell items, decide how to spend the profits
they earned, and present to a panel of entrepreneurs.
They have a particularly vested interest in the success
of their business because they will get to keep half the

3 money they make (the other half will go back into the
program to support the next session).
In order to expand this exceptional program to
students at other Collier County high schools, we
need the support of our community. This program is
free for students to participate and 100 percent reliant
on donations. To learn more about the LEAP Ahead
Foundation and/or the LEAP Entrepreneurship Club,
visit www.leapaheadfoundation.com.

5 1. Golden Gate High School’s pilot group of LEAP Entrepreneurs
2. Students learn about ratios and measure 1:1 mixture of resin material that
they will pour into molds, along with emoji stickers, to create their emoji
keychains.

3.The kickoff event for the LEAP Entrepreneurship Club at GGHS was on
Leap Day, February 29, 2016.

4. Emoji keychain product construction begins.

5. LEAP Entrepreneurship participants and student mentors brainstorm to
determine what they will make and sell.

6. Students are working through financial decisions for their business.

6