Met sophomore named Ernst & Young Youth Entrepreneur of the Year for New England

BRANDON LANE, left, program manager of the Met Entrepreneurship Center, is shown with, from left, Met students Gabriella Martinez and Ethan Chandler, and Jodie Woodruff, director of the Met Entrepreneurship Center and Met students Kevin Henkel and Owen Cuseo. The students participated in the annual Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Business Plan Challenge Regional Competition at Babson College. Chandler captured first place and was named the Ernst & Young Youth Entrepreneur of the Year for New England. / COURTESY THE MET SCHOOL
BRANDON LANE, left, program manager of the Met Entrepreneurship Center, is shown with, from left, Met students Gabriella Martinez and Ethan Chandler, and Jodie Woodruff, director of the Met Entrepreneurship Center and Met students Kevin Henkel and Owen Cuseo. The students participated in the annual Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Business Plan Challenge Regional Competition at Babson College. Chandler captured first place and was named the Ernst & Young Youth Entrepreneur of the Year for New England. / COURTESY THE MET SCHOOL

PROVIDENCE – A mobile app that Metropolitan Regional Career & Technical Center sophomore Ethan Chandler created that connects musicians who want to play together won him the title of Ernst & Young Youth Entrepreneur of the Year for New England at the annual Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Business Plan Challenge Regional Competition.
Chandler, from Smithfield, beat out 30 other contestants at the May 25 event at Babson College after presenting “Jam Sesh.”
Now Chandler will advance to the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship in New York City in October, marking the fifth time in six years the Met School will be represented at the Nationals.
And, it also marks the fifth time a Met Student has been named the Ernst & Young Youth Entrepreneur of the Year for the region.
“I am extremely proud of our students,” said Jodie Woodruff, who directs Met’s Entrepreneur Center, along with Program Manager Brandon Lane. “At the Met, we encourage students to take ownership of their learning. Teaching entrepreneurship that includes students’ interests and passions affords a space to be creative, problem-solve and seek opportunity. It gives ownership and provides a pathway to lifelong learning.”
Met students took the top four spots out of the 30 students from throughout New England who competed in the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Business Plan Challenge Regional Competition. Approximately 1,500 applied for the competition.
Met senior Gabriella Martinez, of Cranston, captured first place in the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Challenge Elevator Pitch contest.
Martinez developed a custom design sneaker business, Sole. She recently presented her customized sneakers to local dignitaries and notables including Gov. Gina M. Raimondo and New England Patriots Hall of Famer Ty Law, among others, at the Met’s 20th anniversary celebration.
The Met’s Owen Cuseo and Kevin Henkel also placed among the top four.
These Met students advanced to the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Business Plan Challenge after emerging as the top students at the eighth annual Metropolitan Regional Career & Technical Center Business Competition held at the Met in April.
Students presented their business plans to private investors for the chance to secure possible seed money to start their business.

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  1. This is fantastic news and a great accomplishment! Congratulations to Chandler, the other Met winners, Jody and the program. You are leading the way, “ABC”!

    Among your greatest fans,

    Ron Sacks