ELC Program

About the Enterprise Leadership Conference

To our prospective students and their parents

ELC is a very fun-filled but intense 3-day workshop for the young entrepreneurs and future leaders of tomorrow, organized and presented for nearly 40 years by local Rotary Clubs.

Every ELC is the result of over 75 Rotarians, both on-site throughout the conference and planning behind the scenes for many months prior to each annual event. Not only do the students learn a massive amount of information in a short period of time from our members, but we learn so much from the them as well.

What is ELC?

  • ELC is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that teaches high school juniors how to conceptualize an idea for a product or service, develop it, write a business plan and then present it to a panel of judges (similar to the TV show “Shark Tank”)
  • ELC is a 3-day workshop held at Asilomar Conference Grounds and created exclusively for motivated and outgoing juniors from selected South Bay high schools.
  • Students work in 12, 8-person teams to develop their idea for a product or service. Each team is accompanied by 2 Rotarians that serve as mentors and facilitators for the students.
  • Students are introduced to roles such like Marketing, Finance, and Human Resources as they develop their Business Plan. All teams present their Business Plan in a 10-minute presentation on the final day in a spirited but friendly competition.

Why attend ELC?

  • ELC offers numerous benefits for students that display a tenacious entrepreneurial spirit and a drive to succeed.
  • Fun events and games will occur every day with the goal of having fun and discovering the importance of building a successful team.
  • Network with peers from other schools. This is a great opportunity to compare notes about opportunities for colleges and jobs.
  • Develop communication and presentation skills. Speak with the Rotarians that staff ELC to uncover a wealth of ideas and suggestions on how best to navigate a career path.
  • ELC is a 40+ year tradition of local Rotary Clubs that always looks great on a transcript or resume.

Who can apply?

ONLY high school juniors from one of 30 high schools who have pre-approved ELC. Each school has agreed to allow their students’ absence from school for the 3 days of the conference during their Spring Semester.

Participating high schools listed here

All genders, races, and abilities may apply. All regular transportation, food, and accommodation expenses are paid for by our Rotary clubs and generous sponsors.

ELC Curriculum Overview

  • The ELC Curriculum is presented by successful civic and business leaders from your local community.
  • There are nearly a dozen classes over a 3-day period, including Sales, Marketing, Presentation Skills, Human Resources, and more.
  • Between curriculum presentations, students will have time to work with their teams on their presentations, and time to hang out on nearby Asilomar Beach.