Nikole Babb
nbabb@cherryroad.com

TUESDAY, FEB. 18 UPDATE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26.

The Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge will be hosted in El Dorado next week in partnership with NetWork Kansas and K-State Extension Butler County.

The challenge brings students in grades 6-12 to showcase and present their entrepreneurial business ideas to the public. The students who are recognized as first, second and third places will receive scholarships while first place is slated to compete in the state-wide competition.

The students will stand at their own vendor booth inside the Civic Center in El Dorado with a cardboard presentation and speech prepared for judges and public visitors. During their presentation, students will speak on their business vision, mission statement, what their business will do and some cost breakdown.

This year, all participants are from Circle Public Schools USD 375. The competition will be judged by local K-State Extension Butler County agents Charlene Miller, Director and Agriculture Agent, Bonnie Brewer, Family and Consumer Science and Calla Edwards, Horticulture Agent.

Last year’s place winners included third place and awarded $100 was Tristan Lucas of Circle High School, who owns Lucas Window Cleaning. Placing second place and winning $250 was Peyton Davies from Andover High School who owns Kings Kicks. Winning first place and $500, Blake Logan from Circle High School, who owns Logan’s Lawncare took the prize and reigned as the two-time back-to-back champion of the competition.

In 2023 Logan took his winnings and reinvested into his lawncare business. Last year he said he planned to make the same investment with the prize money again so that he can continue to service customers once he graduates.

The event will run from 9am-12pm at the Civic Center in El Dorado located at 201 E Central Ave. The public is welcome to browse the young entrepreneurial ventures and listen to presentations.