WICHITA -- Camp Destination Innovation partnered with NetWork Kansas for the first-ever Kansas Youth Virtual Entrepreneurship Challenge, an event designed to engage currently quarantined youth and spark innovation and creativity for a chance to win cash prizes and the youth of Kansas showed up.
Over 140 young people across the state of Kansas submitted video pitches and 75 went on to compete for cash prizes.
The virtual competition was held through NetWork Kansas’ new VentureDash tool. VentureDash is an online entrepreneurship competition management system designed to streamline the facilitation of entrepreneurship fairs and business plan competitions held throughout the state. The system was created by Moonbase Labs based out of Wichita.
Beginning, April 27th and ending May 11th, students in three divisions (elementary, middle school and high school) competed in a virtual video pitch competition for their chance to win prizes.
And the winners are:
Elementary - 1st place $300.00, 2nd place $150.00, 3rd $100.00.
1st Place: Boom Boards, Isaac Bloom, 5th grade, Hays
2nd Place: Virtual Care, Edyn Thompson, 4th grade, Kansas City
3rd place: Bella's Home-Made Dog Treats, Hadley Holmes, 1st grade, Riverton
Middle School- 1st place $500.00, 2nd place $250.00, 3rd place $150.00.
1st Place: Jabby Jerky, Gabby Poels, 6th grade, Phillipsburg
Three students tied for 2nd Place: Mow it Forward, Quinton Heath, 7th grade, Great Bend; Ian's Straw Baling Service, Ian Dunn, 8th grade, St. John;Lauren's Treat, Lauren Seachris, 8th grade, Dodge City
High school- 1st place $1000.00, 2nd place: $350.00, 3rd place 250.00.
1st Place: Finding Freedom, Lovette Mba, 12th grade, Wichita
2nd Place: Craving Crushers, Jersey Kaiser, 12th grade, Plainville
3rd Place: T&H Sports Counseling, Halle Hartner, 10th grade, and Tate Lapo, 12th grade, Belleville
Special bonus prizes- $250 each.
First to Submit: Dawn Till Dusk, Brady Kappelman, 10th grade, Liberal
Most Creative: Auto Pizza, Adelyn O'Hanlon, 7th grade, & Ryland O'Hanlon, 8th grade, Gardner
Best energy in a Video: Wild and Free, Jaiden Campbell, 5th grade, Columbus
People's choice: Tiana's Sweet Drop Off's, Tiana Hardwell, 6th grade, Wichita
Camp Destination Innovation is a Wichita camp that offers programs designed to expose youth ages 14-18 to careers outside of traditional norms with target focused on entrepreneurship.