Home News And Events Services Pillars Our Services Kids Can About Us How You Can Help Contact Us Program Description The goal of Kids Can is to inspire creativity and innovation among youth in the City of Las Cruces and Doña Ana County with the aim of fostering successful entrepreneurship and business development skills at an early age, thus teaching area youth important life lessons such as leadership, speaking and confidence-building, self-reliance and personal empowerment, and financial and business literacy. New programs are underway such as Junior Chefs and “The Kids Café”, Junior Chemist, and The Babysitting Club. Youth will attend weekly “Super Saturdays”, after-school enrichment classes, and week-long camps. The Junior Chef will employ under-utilized kitchen space in the community, where youth may share facility’s kitchen and educational space to cook and learn kitchen concepts and safety, then show off what they learned with at “The Kids Cafe”. Youth showcase and grow their businesses monthly at the KC Junior Vendor Program at the Las Cruces Farmers and Crafts Market Saturdays from 8:30am- 1pm. 22 youth led businesses rotate on monthly basis. In April and November of each year, workshops are held in advance of business building events to give youth the opportunity to receive valuable feedback. Youth circulate through business plan stations, get product feedback and practice making the perfect pitch, as well as ask questions of representatives from CAASNM, NMSU, the Green Chamber, the City’s Economic Development Department, and local business owners. The events also feature a motivational speakers and networking activities. These workshops are designed to prepare participants for success at the upcoming business showcase. At the Spring Bazaar and Fall Showcase, youth take their products to be judged by area business leaders. Their products and business concepts are evaluated on most original business idea, highest business potential, and best presentation/creativity. Eligibility Requirements Youth Age 6-17 Jessica came to the first day of Kids Can Business Builders determined to do it alone. Our instructors could see no smile or willingness to join a group. As a group we shared what our hobbies are and what we do when we get home. Jessica loves to play video games all by herself after-school. Her favorite video game has a Llama character and is very popular with her peers. She felt like products with a llama would sell well at a Kids Can pop-up market. Then another young lady talked about how much she likes pink flamingos. They grouped their ideas together and created hand-woven “Flamas” and the “Flamaverse” (flamingos and llama together). A new friendship formed and Jessica’s perspective of group work has changed. She is happier and more willing to contribute her ideas in class discussion on business topics and we can see these two girls talking and laughing, eating after-school snack together. Jessica's Story Areas Served: Doña Ana County Copyright 2021 Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico | All Rights Reserved | Designed by We Are IT English