Nikole Babb
nbabb@cherryroad.com
After being postponed due to the snow, Circle USD 375 came to the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, (YEC), with five students and left with three of them with cash in hand.
The YEC was hosted in partnership with NetWork Kansas, K-State Extension Butler County, and the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce at the Civic Center. It’s meant to bring students in grades 6-12 to showcase and present their entrepreneurial business ideas to the public while competing for prize money. This practice can set the students up for future business success while giving them an opportunity to seriously consider running their dream business.
The competition was 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.
The five students and businesses from Circle USD 375 were:
Talia Boccia, freshman, presenting Just Coffee
Ryder Ludewick, sophomore, presenting Louie’s Lemonade
Piper Reed, sophomore, presenting Elevate
Harper Smith, freshman, presenting Kozy Kreations
Harper Hall, freshman, presenting Trainee
The group was compromised of all girls and one boy. The first place winner was Harper Hall, winning $500. The second place winner was Piper Reed, winning $200. The third place winner was Harper Smith winning $100. All other contestants took home $25 as a thank-you for participating.
Hall’s business, Trainee, was a proposed app designed to help young kids learn how to play sports. The app would allow the child to choose which sport they want to learn, enter their skill level and other details, and cater the videos to the child’s needs.
“She, (Hall), has been a go-getter,” said Shawn Lahecka, Circle Business Education Teacher. “Those three that placed have really been pushing each other to work on this with so many snow days versus class days.”
“I was impressed seeing everyone’s business and how much passion and knowledge they were showing through their business,” said Lahecka. “Only being freshman and sophomores, it’s a fresh perspective to think that far down the road.”
