About the ELC Program

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.

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

Participating Local High Schools

  • Alpha Public Schools
  • Andrew Hill High School
  • Archbishop Mitty High School
  • Bellarmine College Preparatory
  • Cristo Rey Charter School
  • Downtown College Prep
  • Evergreen Valley High School
  • Gunderson High School
  • Independence High School
  • James Lick High School
  • KIPP
  • Leigh High School
  • Leland High School
  • Lincoln High School
  • Los Gatos High School
  • Mt. Pleasant High School
  • Notre Dame High School
  • Oak Grove High School
  • Overfelt High School
  • Piedmont Hills High School
  • Pioneer High School
  • Presentation High School
  • San Jose High School
  • Santa Teresa High School
  • Silver Creek High School
  • Summit Tahoma Charter School
  • Willow Glen High School
  • Westmont High School
  • Yerba Buena High School