Published On: Wed, Apr 24th, 2013

Musical Helper Drums out Business Plan Competition to Earn National Spotlight

By Samantha Mellman

Fifteen middle and high school students from the Young Entrepreneurs Academy waited two days in anticipation recently to hear who would win the Business Plan Competition.

“And a drum roll please!,” said Beth Johnston, executive vice president and YEA program director for the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, told the roomful of students and parents. “Bronsen Bloom, Musical Cares, Congratulations!”

The annual event, held at the end of the school year, was on the campus at Florida Atlantic University. The announcement was on Thursday, April 11.

Bloom received a $5,000 scholarship to FAU and will compete for a $30,000 scholarship and the national title in Rochester, N.Y. April 25 & 26. He will face off against 41 young business owners nationwide for the scholarship money as well as a journey to the U.S. Chamber Summit in Washington D.C.

Bloom, a Pine Crest school junior, now ahs the opportunity to launch his nonprofit organization, Musical Cares, to a national level.

“Winning this competition was not just important to me but to the organization,” Bloom, 17, said. “It allows us to help more and more students and schools, and with more donations in turn, we can give more instruments.”

Bloom was only 14 when he founded Musical Cares. As a member of his school’s orchestra, he wanted to collect, recycle, and donate musical instruments to children, schools, and programs in need.

“Beth Johnston approached me when she saw an article about my organization and introduced me to the YEA program,” he said, explaining how the program helped to improve his business skills

The 30-week course is held once a week at the FAU Adams Center for Entrepreneurship. Twenty-four middle and high school students are selected from a pool of applicants and they spend the year learning how to create and grow a business.

“With the help of the academy I was able to form a business plan and then begin to approach investors to fund my business,” Bloom said. “It made my organization more reputable and I learned great business skills talking with business advisors, local businessmen, and teachers. To learn business skills at such a young age is preparing me to be in the business world, which is really cool.”

Johnston said the program is a great resume builder for college. It show consistency, tenacity and their willingness to work to make something for themselves, she added.

To learn more about Bronsen Bloom’s organization visit http://www.musicalcares.net and Facebook

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