Promise Kid highlighted in news story for his initiative

A Promise Kid from Portland Public Schools’ Lincoln High is in the news for lining up big names for an entrepreneurs speaking series.

An article in the Portland Business Journal outlines how Michael Ioffe recruited headliners for the Stumptown Speaker Series. The free talks, scheduled between September and April, are designed to connect Portland’s business community with young entrepreneurs from the Portland metropolitan area.

Michael told the business journal that he started the series because “I realized that there was a lack of a free and widely accessible introductory venue to get teens of all backgrounds interested in business, leadership and entrepreneurship.”

The lesson he learned from his experience was this: “In the end, I found that determination and persistence pay off.”

Michael debuted on the Promise website on April 15.