By SALINA POST
Students from Salina South and Salina Central high schools brought their best business ideas to the tenth annual USD 305 Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge on Tuesday at Salina Area Technical College. Competing for cash prizes, 20 individuals and teams pitched their startups to judges through presentations and a tradeshow, showcasing creativity and innovation.
The competition awarded a total of $1,275 in prize money, courtesy of NetWork Kansas. The winners were:
• First place ($500): Marshall Zuccarelli, M1 Pool Maintenance
• Second place ($350): Grady Smith, DebateDock
• Third place ($200): Liam Deniau-Young, Tymbersmith
• Fourth place ($100): Hala Nairat, Hala’s Delights
• Fifth place ($50): Alibbea Mong, Libby’s Cookies
Additionally, the People’s Choice Award ($25 Smoky Hill Silver) went to Dawson Green (Bio Breeze), Alibbea Mong (Libby’s Cookies), and Makayla Halferty (Lifestyle Dance).
“The Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is truly my favorite day of the year. It is so much fun interacting with the students and hearing them pitch their creative ideas,” said Jaclyn Crow, Economic and Workforce Development Director at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce. “Thinking like an entrepreneur helps students become more confident in their abilities to make decisions, take risks, and bounce back from failure. They may also develop a passion that could change the trajectory of their life.”
The first-place winner, Marshall Zuccarelli, has the opportunity to compete in the Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge at Kansas State University in Manhattan. This statewide event, hosted in partnership with NetWork Kansas, K-State Research and Extension, and the K-State Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship, will bring together top young entrepreneurs from across Kansas.
The Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge aims to introduce middle and high school students to entrepreneurship and provide hands-on experience. Participants’ work is judged by local entrepreneurs, educators, and public sector partners.
For more information, contact Jaclyn Crow at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce at 785-827-9310 or [email protected]. Additional details about NetWork Kansas and the E-Community Partnership can be found at www.networkkansas.com.