Sydney Heller, a student at USD 299, captured 1st place at the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge held on Tuesday, March 5th. Sydney won $500 for her 1st place finish with her online storefront business-Sydney’s Savings Storefront, LLC. She also won $100 for winning the Ready to Launch Award, as she has recently started this business. In second place, and winning $300, was Maryn Schmidt, USD 298, with her Cupcakes and Confetti event planning business.
Other Sylvan students placing in the top six were Elsie Finkenbinder with her business, The Trendy Trailer, a mobile hair salon; Kolten Palmer and Blane Lamb with their Entire Convenience and Repair business; and McKaylee Maupin and Emma Cline with SugarLane, a plan for a locally owned bakery. Kolten Palmer and Blane Lame also won the Most Needed Local Business Award ($100 prize), and Drayse Walter and Casey Sigle were selected for the best ag related business ($100 prize sponsored by Farm Bureau) with their welding company. Heller will advance to the state competition on April 16 at K-State University. Thirty-one business concepts were entered in this year’s local contest including 16 from Sylvan and 15 from Lincoln.
In this three-phase competition, students were required to submit a 3-page executive summary, present a 4-minute Power Point presentation, and then give a 4-minute pitch with the Trade Show booth that they created.
This state-wide event is sponsored by NetWork Kansas and locally organized by Kelly Gourley, the Lincoln County Economical Development Director. Congratulations to these students!
