Harvey business teacher Nell Rapport and community supporters welcomed this year’s ECITY class. ECITY helps teens develop business and finance skills. The program also provides employability skills and improves college access. The ECITY program has had tremendous success. This is thanks to the generosity of key community partners like Lubrizol. Pablo Arredondo, a current senior and ECITY alumnus, is a recent example. As a result of ECITY, Pablo has received many opportunities. He won last year’s Veale Venture Challenge at Case Western Reserve University. He was Young Entrepreneur of the Year. He has also competed in the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship National Competition.  His success highlights how incoming ECITY students will benefit from the program.

This year’s Welcome Ceremony was special. Harvey welcomed back alumnus Martin Grice to speak to the incoming class. Martin is a 2014 PCLS graduate. He works for Lubrizol as a result of the ECITY program. This is thanks to his mentor Mary Jane Sanders (Community Specialist for Lubrizol). Lubrizol has been a key partner in supporting the program. Mary Jane’s mentorship and desire to help Martin succeed has led to his success. We cannot begin to express our thanks to her enough. Her commitment to our students is extraordinary. She is a wonderful representative for Lubrizol. Thanks to her and ECITY, Martin is not only happily working for Lubrizol; he is also a home owner. He is also pursuing his engineering degree at Cleveland State University. “ECITY pushed me out of my comfort zone...it was because of this program that it helped give me confidence as a speaker…ECITY gave me the confidence to succeed.” Martin also gave some insight for the incoming class on what they could do to be successful. “The confidence and skills you will learn here will guide you through life…Listen to your mentors, they will be able to help you long after you graduate.”