By Tara Gieber Kansas State Today [email protected]
A student entrepreneurship contest featuring 61 high school teams and eight community college teams from across Kansas has awarded entrepreneurial students $75,000 in prizes.
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 K-State University Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship, sponsored by the Kansas Masonic Foundation, on behalf of all Kansas Masons, and supported by NetWork Kansas.
Teams from participating high schools that received an excellent score from the judges won the top prize of $1,200 each, while teams from community colleges that received an excellent score received $2,800 each. A good score from the judges was worth $600 for high school teams and $2,000 for community college teams.
“I was amazed by the maturity and poise of all of the students and was especially impressed by the innovative ideas on display,” said Robert Nelson, president of the Kansas Masonic Foundation.
“We see this event as an opportunity for Kansas Masons to expand our charitable mission to help young people build businesses that will help the state’s economy and benefit all Kansans.”
The high school teams also had the opportunity to participate in a trade show presenting their products and services. Contest guests voted for the People’s Choice Award, with the winning team, the SFI Solutions team from Jetmore High School, receiving a $500 prize sponsored by Network Kansas.
“This event is an opportunity to showcase the incredible entrepreneurial talent we have in the state of Kansas,” said Chad Jackson, director of the K-State 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 in launching businesses in our state.”
The following high school teams won the contest’s top prize of $1,200:
Hendricks Hawaiian team of Matt Hendricks, Cheylin High School
Brody Kramer’s Sweet Clouds of Cotton Candy Team, Clay Center High School
Team Cozee Toes of Cody Wright and Jordan Jones, Colby High School
Evyn Cox’s Drivyn Team, Hays High School
Stenzel Film Team by Emily Stenzel, Hays High School
Donley Brother Shearing Team Consisting of Cruz Donley, Owen Donley and Thaddeus Donley, Homeschooling, Ellsworth The Sweet Treat Team
Dalton Estes and Riley Lusk’s Sweet Treat Team, Hutchinson High School
The SFI Solutions Team of Isaac Cavazos, Jetmore High School
The Sierra Aesthetics Team from Sierra Britton, Kiowa County High School
Maya Wagstaff’s Sweets Inc. Team, Leavenworth High School
Gabriel Sorensen’s 720 Food Bus Team, Leavenworth High School
Team Frack Sweet Scents from Cooper Frack, Norton High School
Aiden Conrad’s Turning Tires Team, Osborne High School
C. Carolina Barraza Creative Marketing Team, Pike Valley High School
Bryan Garvert Complex Team, Plainville High School
Larison Lawn Care Team of Derek Larison, Riverton High School
Maggie Peterson’s Magnolia Team, Smith Center High School
Tiger Coffee team consisting of Allison Lopez, Hannah Son, Lillian Brummer and Tara Dowling, St. John High School
Mathematics Matters Team of Hunter Hulse, Sylvan-Lucas High School
Maley Hansen’s ICY-T Team, Wichita North High School
The following high school teams won $600 in the contest:
Team Karlee’s Kreations by Karlee Evans, Bucklin Junior High
Jacob Frese’s Dungeon Combat Cards Team, Chanute High School
Kaos Creations Team by Ava Rodgers, Colby High School
Partners n’ Care team of Brittany Swartz, Madison Hull, Colby Junior High School
Oasis Airsoft and Paintball Team of Hunter Blackwood, Josh Wood, Concordia High School
Riley Forge’s Creative Clay Co. Team, Council Grove Junior High
The Halle Klotz Seasons Flower Shop Team, Crest High School
Kaden Perry’s Kaden’s Carryout Team, Elkhart High School
Kiley’s Creations team of Kiley Stevenson, Ellinwood High School
Annabelle Gorman’s Dirty Dog Café Team, Fort Scott High School
Charlie Andrade’s Farm Fresh Team, Free State High School
Goat’s milk? Soap Team of Jonah Sandford, Girard High School
In the Bloch team of Hadyn Blochlinger, Goodland High School
Titus Sherer’s TOS Construction Team, Greeley County High School
Swimming Lessons with Team Ainsley from Ainsley Charest, Hayden High School
Moriah Jost’s Thoughtful Words Team, Hillsboro High School
Kansas Lange’s Two Little Goats Team, a Pawnee County homeschool team
Carmen Eisenbrandt’s Second Stitch Swimwear Team, Labette County High School
Bo de Groof’s Go-Go Travel Team, Leavenworth High School
Melany Busot’s Crumbs to Heaven Team, Manhattan High School
Field Joshua Bocox’s Local Stars Team, McPherson High School
The Kayla’s Confections team of Kayla LaRosh, Osborne Junior High School
Ashlyn Schultze’s Downtown Western Wear Team, Osborne Junior High School
Gabby Poels Chatter Box Team, Phillipsburg High School
Owen Russell’s Chopping Block Team, Pike Valley High School
Adia Peck’s Donkey Doo Team, Salina Central High School
Jesus Mariscal’s Strings and Dings Team, Salina Central High School
Midwest Dream Yards team of Lawson Bailey, Scott City High School
Alseno’s Media Ape Team Frances Aguilar, Scott City High School
Haylee Cockroft’s Wonderfully Made Team, St. John’s Catholic School
Quinton Pfaff’s NextDoorGig Team, St. Thomas Aquinas High School
CW Junk Removal Team of Cody Oden and Wyatt Beltz, Sterling High School
Ayers Buddies Pet Sitting Team of Taylor Ayers, Stockton High School
The B&T Destinations team of Brooke Wehrman and Tressa Wehrman, Sylvan-Lucas High School
R. Conrad Cassell’s Royal Ice Team, Wabaunsee Junior High
Jocelyn Stewart’s Wamego Learning and Education Center Team, Wamego High School
Reese Reitz’s Room Décor Alley Team, Wamego High School
Biermann Pottery Team from Sidney Biermann, Wichita County High School
The West Side Pressure Washing Team of Erik Haemaelaeinen and Logan Burleson, Winfield High School
She’s Fit Fitness Team of Judith Diaz Zaragoza, Wyandotte High School
The following community college teams won the competition’s top prize of $2,800:
The FlyAway Team of Connor Klecan and Tom Poole, Cloud County Community College
Happy Tails Salon Team by Teryn Teeter, Garden City Community College Technology
Meta Energy team consisting of Chance Pippert, Ethan Showalter and Sean Dunning, Johnson County Community College
Greg Gieber’s Capone team, Highland Community College-Wamego campus
Team Unleashed by Fiona Barelli, Labette Community College
The following community college teams won $2,000 in the contest:
Gerardo Arana’s Owlaid Team, Cloud County Community College
VaxOral Team of Holly Trevebaugh, Coffeyville Community College
Grace Slabaugh’s Treefrog Smoothie Team, Neosho County Community College
