SHREVEPORT, La. — The 26th Annual James K. Elrod BizCamp Marketplace will open Thursday at Mall St. Vincent, giving participants in the entrepreneurship education program an opportunity to sell products and demonstrate business skills developed during the camp.
BizCamp, now in its 26th year, is an entrepreneurship and life-skills training program for youth, with a focus on serving at-risk students. The 2026 session began June 1 at the Northwestern State University School of Nursing campus on Line Avenue.
The program is a partnership among the Inner City Entrepreneur Institute, Northwestern State University and Caddo Parish Schools. This year, 60 middle and high school students are participating in training designed to introduce entrepreneurship, business leadership and financial literacy.
During the program, students develop business concepts, learn business fundamentals and create business plans that are presented to a panel of local business and community leaders. Participants also receive micro-investments to launch their first businesses by purchasing products from a local warehouse for resale in a competitive marketplace environment.
The public marketplace will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday at Mall St. Vincent, in front of the former Sears location. Students will sell merchandise and apply marketing, sales and public-speaking skills acquired during the program.
Organizers said the event provides students with hands-on business experience while giving the public an opportunity to support youth entrepreneurship through purchases from student-operated businesses.
For information about BizCamp or the marketplace event, contact the Inner City Entrepreneur Institute.