Grow Hays
Grow Hays hosted the Ellis County YEC — Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge — on Dec. 4 at BriefSpace in downtown Hays. YEC is a competition with a goal of teaching middle and high school students about entrepreneurship.
The local competition consisted of students submitting a written executive summary (written business plan), a tradeshow booth and 4-minute presentation. Silas Hibbs, Hays High business education teacher, had 11 students enter the competition with a total of eight businesses.
Local entrepreneur Joseph Boeckner spoke to the students and parents regarding his journey, challenges and success of becoming a business owner.
1st Place ($700) – Lauren Wagner with Eleve’ Arts Company
2nd Place ($300) – Weston Hoskins with Hoskins Premier Detailing
3rd Place ($200) - Shelbe Alexander with Holiday Impressions
Local businesses awarded the following $200 prizes:
Midwest Energy’s Best Trade Show – Lauren Wagner with Eleve’ Arts Company
Sunflower Electric’s People’s Choice - Katie Dinkel, Lily Biggs and Rilee Schwarz with Kakes by Katie
Nex-Generations’ Ready To Launch – Wesley Hoskins with Hoskins Premier Detailing
Judges for the event were Network Kansas’ Sarah Larosh, Downtown Hays Development Corporation’s Sara Bloom and Tree Top Security's Dallas Haselhorst.
The annual YEC series culminates in a statewide championship (KEC) where the top students from each local competition face off against each other for prize money and other honors. First-place winner Lauren Wagner automatically qualifies for the statewide championship tentatively set for Spring 2021 at Kansas State University.
The Ellis County event is part of the 2020-2021 Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Series thanks to support from NetWork Kansas & the E-Community Partnership, the Kansas State University Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship, and the Kansas Masons, and is to promote entrepreneurship and small business development in Kansas. The local competition is also made possible via The Robert E. Schmidt Foundation. The competition is for student created, managed, and owned ventures.
For more information on the Youth Entrepreneur Competition, contact Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Willams at 785.628.3102 or [email protected].
Courtesy photos