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Step Up Omaha offers entrepreneurship program for teens

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OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) - — Teens in the StepUp Omaha program are learning how to create a successful business.

"At first I didn't really know how to approach making my own business but this gives you, lessons plans and a certain way to go about it, so you could be successful," Omaha North Student Jada Lavalais said.

15-year-old Lavalais wants her generation to boss up.

"I would like to inspire people my age to go for what they want to do," she said. You don't really see 15-year-olds making their own businesses so hopefully I can inspire people."

She recently created Jada's Candle Company, it's conceptual for now.

But with the help of SocialPreneur creator Jamela Peterson, Lavalais' business could become a reality by the end of the summer.

"I enjoy teaching people from our community, and be able to have them look at me and say oh she's a black woman entrepreneur ... and be able to say well if she can do it, I can do it," Peterson said.

She teaches her curriculum to students all over the world.

Peterson's program has helped students raise more than 10,000 dollars in student revenue.

She says, the workforce is changing and students need to be prepared.

"People will not be able to take the traditional path of going to college, and finding a job," Peterson said. They will actually need to learn how to create their own opportunities."

From pitches to cost-benefit analysis, the students know how to be successful no matter where life takes them after high school.

"Buy everybody's product because we all will be millionaires one day," Lavalais said.