HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 16, 2007--Prepared 4 Life (P4L), an organization that prepares middle school youth for life through fun, proactive, experiential after-school programs, is educating today's young people about how to become Houston's future business leaders through a unique event taking place Sunday, May 6 - Lemonade Day! The city of Houston's business community, schools, civic organizations, churches, neighborhoods, government, and parents are all working together to give children a head start in the business world. The event aims to motivate young people to start their own business, while encouraging consequential thinking and positive decision-making skills.

On May 6 thousands of lemonade stands are expected to go up around the greater Houston area, in an experiential event operated by the city's youth. Sure, the young people serving lemonade from behind these stands will be earning a few dollars, but more importantly, they will be actively participating in a unique, productive entrepreneurial experience.

"Lemonade Day is about much more than simply making money," said Michael Holthouse, President and Co-Founder of Prepared 4 Life. "It's about teaching life skills, character and entrepreneurship - truly important skills that children need to prepare themselves for life. Our mission is to help children learn what it takes and put them on a path towards becoming the future business leaders of our city.

The concept itself is a simple one - kids are encouraged to secure their own investors, create their own stands and design their own marketing materials. Lemonade Day's official Web site, www.LemonadeDay.org, includes many helpful tips and tools to help kids secure investors, budget appropriately, establish pricing, and choose a profitable spot for their stands such as outside a local grocery store.

Kids can download their own "Entrepreneurs Workbook" which also talks about advertising, product testing and opening a savings account. When May 6 arrives, kids make their own lemonade and sell it for whatever the market will bare. Of course, after paying back their investors, kids will keep what they earn and hopefully put some aside in a saving account just as any business would.

After registering at www.LemonadeDay.org, participants and their parents may visit any Amegy Banking Center to pick up their first (yellow) briefcase. These briefcases include everything kids need to get started from a workbook with games and tips for creating a successful stand, to advice on how to start saving at a young age.

"Lemonade Day teaches life-long lessons imperative to any successful business including customer service skills, opening a savings account, and ways to give back to the community," said Paul B. Murphy, Jr., CEO of Amegy Bank. "All of us at Amegy are pleased to be supporting this event and look forward to the success Lemonade Day will bring to our city's youth."

P4L's Lemonade Day is possible in large part to the support and dedication of all their generous sponsors, including Amegy Bank. Amegy's involvement in Lemonade Day extends beyond their financial support of the effort - Amegy seeks to truly be a partner with Prepared 4 Life and understands that the children participating in this event will be the workforce of tomorrow and will be armed with new life lessons after Lemonade Day.

Official Lemonade Day Sponsors Include:

Silestone, Latin Women's Initiative, Lawrence Marshall, Taquerias Arandas, Chevron, Stewart Title, KLASS Time, Litton Loan Servicing, BMC, A&C Plastics, Pappas Restaurants, NewQuest Properties, and Chick-Fil-A.

Some of its many Community Sponsors Include:

Junior Achievement, Girls Scouts, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Kickstart, The Children's Museum of Houston, several Rotary Clubs, and Houston Parks & Recreation.

Media Partners Include:

The Houston Business Journal, Houston PBS Channel 8, Radio Disney 1590AM, Univision 45 Houston, and VT2 Studios.

About Prepared 4 Life

Prepared 4 Life is a 501-(c)(3) organization that prepares middle school youth for life through fun, proactive and experiential after-school programs infused with life skills, character education and entrepreneurship. Our foremost objective is building developmental assets in children which will empower them to take ownership of their lives and become healthy contributing members of society - the business leaders, social advocates, volunteers and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow. By working with leading researchers and educators, Prepared 4 Life implements an umbrella of programming to meet this goal.

For more information, please visit www.Prepared4Life.org and to learn more about Lemonade Day or to register a child to participate, please visit www.LemonadeDay.org.

Copyright Business Wire 2007

Prepared 4 Life

Prepared 4 Life

Prepared 4 Life is a 501-(c)(3) organization that prepares middle school youth for life through fun, proactive and experiential after-school programs infused with life skills, character education and entrepreneurship. Our foremost objective is building developmental assets in children which will empower them to take ownership of their lives and become healthy contributing members of society - the business leaders, social advocates, volunteers and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow. By working with leading researchers and educators, Prepared 4 Life implements an umbrella of programming to meet this goal.

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