YES Youth Small Business Camp

Synovus is pleased to present its Youth Entrepreneurship Summer Camp Program, referred to as Y.E.S. Camp, for an ABA Commitment Award. Conducted in June 2022 in partnership with Benedict College, a historically black college in Columbia, South Carolina, Y.E.S. Camp served as an inaugural offering of the college's 2022 summer Upward Bound Program and helped foster early interests in entrepreneurship and lifelong financial education opportunities.Synovus understands the importance of small businesses to our economy and the disproportionate impact that a turbulent economy can have on minority business. As such, the financial services company developed the week-long Y.E.S. Camp to expose local TRIO-eligible pre-college students (low-income, first-generation college students) to entrepreneurship, financial education, and essential life skills needed to be successful leaders and business entrepreneurs.

Y.E.S. Camp provided individual student coaching related to a number of topics as well as public speaking opportunities. The camp concluded with a well-orchestrated graduation ceremony during which three students (selected by their peers) presented their small business ideas and Synovus and Benedict College executives presented all participating students with certificates of completion, gift bags, Staples gift cards, and ,000 to seed their small businesses. The program was named to reflect Synovus' desire to tell these students 'Yes' after likely hearing 'No' throughout their pursuits. Two (2) VIDEO URL: 1. WACH TV/News Video clip of Y.E.S Camp Graduation Program: https://wach.com/news/local/benedict-college-synovus-bank-provide-free-financial-literacy-camp-through-partnership 2. Y.E.S. Camp Post Event Presentation Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZrcEsppD4k