Edmonton Philanthropist Jesse Willms Working to Help Teens Prepare for the Future

EDMONTON, AB, March 02, 2011 (Press-News.org) Internet entrepreneur and budding philanthropist, Jesse Willms, announced that he is sponsoring 10 students from Ardrossan High School through the Flight Plan business coaching program. Willms said he was doing so because he thinks that the Canadian educational system, while wonderful in many respects, doesn't do enough to prepare teens for the real business world when they graduate. Jesse is just one of many people that will help the entire graduating class of Ardrossan High School.

"I want to make sure that students understand what they need to do to prepare themselves so they can become as successful as possible when they graduate," Willms said. "I want to help them reach their full potential."

Willms is famous for starting his own business when he was 16 years old in his basement. By the time he was 22 he had built it into a multimillion-dollar business. Then, inspired by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, he turned his attention to philanthropy and has given hundreds of thousands of dollars and volunteered many hours of his time to non-profit groups.

The Flight Plan program, put on by a certified Focal Point Business coach started by Brian Tracy, helps students figure out what types of careers would be good for them, and then teaches them how to prepare to break into those industries and do well.

Willms said he is initially sponsoring 10 students but may sponsor more in the near future. Each sponsored student will get access to the following mentoring and coaching materials:

- An online career planning insights assessment - an invaluable tool that provides potential career paths the individual should consider based on their behavioral style.
- An educational video explaining the assessment and how to apply the reported results in their life.
- Access to the Flight Plan: Graduation & Beyond, a 60-minute, life-changing presentation. Topics include how changing your thinking can change your life, the power of choice, and how to construct written goals effectively and consistently.
- Weekly, on-going, educational, and motivational follow-up support through social media from their certified coach to hold the students accountable on their path to success.

"What's great about programs like this is that they not only give students the skills they need," Willms said. "It also gives them the self-confidence to stick to the straight and narrow path. Coaching and mentoring are so powerful they should be universal."

Students enrolled in coaching or mentoring programs were 46 percent less likely to do drugs, 27 percent less likely to drink, 33 percent less likely to get into fights and 53 percent less likely to skip school, according to a recent study sponsored by Proctor & Gamble.