May 19, 2022

UPDATE: NW Kan. students winners in entrepreneurship challenge

Posted May 19, 2022 9:28 PM
Hays High School winner Evyn Cox of Drivyn with Doug Wilkinson, trustee, Kansas Masonic Foundation and Robert Nelson, president, Kansas Masonic Foundation. (Photo by KSU)
Hays High School winner Evyn Cox of Drivyn with Doug Wilkinson, trustee, Kansas Masonic Foundation and Robert Nelson, president, Kansas Masonic Foundation. (Photo by KSU)
Hays High School winner Emily Stenzel of Stenzel Film with Doug Wilkinson, trustee, Kansas Masonic Foundation and Robert Nelson, president, Kansas Masonic Foundation. (Photo by KSU)
Hays High School winner Emily Stenzel of Stenzel Film with Doug Wilkinson, trustee, Kansas Masonic Foundation and Robert Nelson, president, Kansas Masonic Foundation. (Photo by KSU)
Shelby Alexander of<b> Hays High School</b> won $600 for  Smart-Shot.
Shelby Alexander of Hays High School won $600 for Smart-Shot.

Editor's note: Updated to include another Hays High School student who was not included in the original K-State press release.

KSU News Service

MANHATTAN — A student entrepreneurship competition featuring 61 high school and eight community college teams from across Kansas has awarded entrepreneurial-minded students with $75,000 in prize money.

High school teams, including Hays High School, receiving an excellent rating from the judges earned the top prize of $1,200 each, while community college teams earning an excellent rating received $2,800 each. A good rating from the judges was worth $600 to high school teams and $2,000 for community college teams.

The Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge gave students experience in the process of making a business proposal and pitching their ideas. The annual event was organized by the Kansas State University Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship and was sponsored by the Kansas Masonic Foundation on behalf of all Kansas Masons, and supported by Network Kansas.

"I was amazed by the maturity and poise of all of the students and was particularly impressed with the innovative ideas on display," said Robert Nelson, president of the Kansas Masonic Foundation. "We see this event as an opportunity for the Kansas Masons to extend our charitable mission to help young people build businesses that are going to help the state's economy and be beneficial to all Kansans."

The Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge saw teams compete in two areas: an executive summary and a mock boardroom session. In the mock boardroom, judges reviewed each teams' executive summary and had 10 minutes with each team to ask questions about their businesses. The judges' scores were used to determine winners in the different competition divisions.

High school teams also had the option to participate in a trade show showcasing their products and services. Guests at the competition voted for the People's Choice Award. The winning team received a $500 prize sponsored by Network Kansas.

"This event is an opportunity to showcase the tremendous entrepreneurial talent we have in the state of Kansas," said Chad Jackson, director of the Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship. "The real-world experience of pitching a business in front of the type of business experts we have on our panel is invaluable to these students and provides real-world feedback and support to launch companies within our state."

Here are the results of the competition:

Shelby Alexander of Hays High School won $600 for Smart-Shot.

Royal Ice team of R. Conrad Cassell, $600, Wabaunsee Junior High School, Alma; Second Stitch Swimwear team of Carmen Eisenbrandt, $600, Labette County High School, Altamont; Wonderfully Made team of Haylee Cockroft, $600, St. John's Catholic School, Beloit; Hendricks Hawaiian team with Matt Hendricks, $1,200, Cheylin High School, Bird City; Karlee's Kreations team of Karlee Evans, $600, Bucklin Junior High, Bucklin; Dungeon Combat Cards team of Jacob Frese, $600, Chanute High School, and Treefrog Smoothie team of Grace Slabaugh, $2,000, Neosho County Community College, both in Chanute; Sweet Clouds of Cotton Candy with Brody Kramer, $1,200, Clay Center High School, Clay Center; VaxOral team of Holly Trevebaugh, $2,000, Coffeyville Community College, Coffeyville.

From Colby: Cozee Toes team of Cody Wright and Jordan Jones, $1,200, and Kaos Creations team of Ava Rodgers, $600, both from Colby High School; and Partners n' Care team of Brittany Swartz and Madison Hull, $600, Colby Junior High School.

Seasons Flower Shop team of Halle Klotz, $600, Crest High School, Colony.

From Concordia: Oasis Airsoft and Paintball team of Hunter Blackwood and Josh Wood, $600, Concordia High School; FlyAway team of Connor Klecan and Tom Poole, $2,800, Cloud County Community College; and Owlaid team of Gerardo Arana, $2,000, Cloud County Community College.

Creative Clay Co. team of Riley Forge, $600, Council Grove Junior High, Council Grove; Kaden's Carryout team of Kaden Perry, $600, Elkhart High School, Elkhart; Kiley's Creations team of Kiley Stevenson, $600, Ellinwood High School, Ellinwood; Donley Brother's Mowing team of Cruz Donley, Owen Donley and Thaddeus Donley, $1,200, homeschool students, Ellsworth; Dirty Dog Café team of Annabelle Gorman, $600, Fort Scott High School, Fort Scott; Happy Tails Salon team of Teryn Teeter, $2,800, Garden City Community College, Garden City; Goat Milk? Soap team of Jonah Sandford, $600, Girard High School, Girard; On the Bloch team of Hadyn Blochlinger, $600, Goodland High School, Goodland; Sierra's Esthetics team of Sierra Britton, $1,200, Kiowa County High School, Greensburg; Drivyn team of Evyn Cox, $1,200, and the Stenzel Film team of Emily Stenzel, $1,200, both from Hays High School, Hays; Thoughtful Words team of Moriah Jost, $600, Hillsboro High School, Hillsboro; The Sweet Treat team of Dalton Estes and Riley Lusk, $1,200, Hutchinson High School, Hutchinson.

SFI Solutions team of Isaac Cavazos, $1,200 and $500 People's Choice Award, Jetmore High School, Jetmore; She's Fit Fitness team of Judith Diaz Zaragoza, $600, Wyandotte High School, Kansas City; Farm Fresh team of Charlie Andrade, $600, Free State High School, Lawrence.

From Leavenworth: Sweets Inc. team of Maya Wagstaff, $1,200; 720 Food Bus team of Gabriel Sorensen, $1,200; and Go-Go Travel team of Bo de Groof, $600, all from Leavenworth High School.

Biermann Pottery team of Sidney Biermann, $600, Wichita County High School, $600, Leoti; Crumbs to Heaven team of Melany Busot, $600, Manhattan High School, Manhattan; Aligning Local Stars team of Joshua Bocox, $600, McPherson High School, McPherson; Frack Sweet Scents team of Cooper Frack, Norton High School, $1,200, Norton.

From Osborne: Turning Tires team of Aiden Conrad, $,1200, Osborne High School; Kayla's Confections team of Kayla LaRosh, $600, Osborne Junior High School; and Downtown Western Wear team of Ashlyn Schultze, $600, Osborne Junior High School.

NextDoorGig team of Quinton Pfaff, $600, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, and Meta Energy team of Chance Pippert, Ethan Showalter, Sean Dunning, $2,800, Johnson County Community College, both in Overland Park; Unleashed team of Fiona Barelli, $2,800, Labette Community College, Parsons; Two Little Goats team of Kansas Lange Homeschool Team, $600, Pawnee County; Chatter Box team of Gabby Poels, $600, Phillipsburg High School, Phillipsburg; Intricates team of Bryan Garvert, $1,200, Plainville High School, Plainville; Larison Lawn Care team of Derek Larison, $1,200, Riverton High School, Riverton; Donkey Doo team of Adia Peck, $600, and Strings and Dings team of Jesus Mariscal, $600, both from Salina Central High School, Salina; C. Creative Marketing team of Carolina Barraza, $1,200, and The Chopping Block team of Owen Russell, $600, both from Pike Valley High School, Scandia; Midwest Dream Yards team of Lawson Bailey, $600, and Media Ape team of Alsono Frances Aguilar, $600, both from Scott City High School, Scott City; Magnolia's team of Maggie Peterson, $1,200, Smith Center High School, Smith Center; Tiger Coffee team of Allison Lopez, Hannah Son, Lillian Brummer and Tara Dowling, $1,200, St. John High School, St. John; CW Junk Removal team of Cody Oden and Wyatt Beltz, $600, Sterling High School, Sterling; Ayers Buddies Pet Sitting team of Taylor Ayers, $600, Stockton High School, Stockton; Mathematics Matters team of Hunter Hulse, $1,200, and B&T Destinations team of Brooke Wehrman and Tressa Wehrman, $600, both from Sylvan-Lucas High School, Sylvan Grove; Swimming Lessons with Ainsley team of Ainsley Charest, $600, Hayden Catholic High School, Topeka; TOS Construction team of Titus Sherer, $600, Greeley County High School, Tribune.

From Wamego: Wamego Learning and Education Center team of Jocelyn Stewart, $600, Wamego High School; Room Décor Alley team of Reese Reitz, $600, Wamego High School; and Capone's Coached team of Greg Gieber, $2,800, Highland Community College-Wamego campus.

ICY-T team of Maley Hansen, $1,200, Wichita North High School, Wichita; and West Side Pressure Washing team of Erik Haemaelaeinen and Logan Burleson, $600, Winfield High School, Winfield