NetWork Kansas Hosts Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Events April 29 & May 6 in Southeast and Northwest Kansas
Wichita, Kansas: (PRWEB) April 02, 2015 -- NetWork Kansas' second annual Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge series will bring together students from across northwest Kansas and southeast Kansas to compete for more than $10,000 in total prize money on April 29 in Columbus, KS and May 6 in Leoti, KS. The Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (http://www.youtheshipchallenge.com) features a business plan tradeshow, elevator pitches, and formal business presentations.
Guest speakers will showcase notable young entrepreneurs: Mike Bosch, CEO of Reflective Group and Pipeline Fellow; Zach Haney, CEO of Carnival Guy and named one of America's top young entrepreneurs.
The Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is an innovative entrepreneurship battle that highlights entrepreneurship as a viable career path for students and facilitates learning and fun.
After competing in one of eleven local-level competitions held in the two qualifying regions, students can apply to advance to this regional showcase.
The Northwest Kansas Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is open to students in grades 7-12 who live in a northwest Kansas Entrepreneurship (E-) Community who have participated in one of seven qualifying local competitions held in Bird City, Phillips County, Rawlins County, Sherman County, Thomas County, and Wichita County between February and April. Northwest Kansas E-Communities include: Bird City, Ellis County, Greeley County, Phillips County, Norton County, Rawlins County, Scott County, Sherman County, Thomas County, and Wichita County.
The Southeast Kansas Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is open to students in grades 7-12 who live in a southeast Kansas Entrepreneurship Community who have participated in one of four qualifying local competitions held in Altamont, Cherokee County, Girard, and Humboldt. Southeast Kansas E-Communities include: Altamont, Anderson County, Chautauqua County, Cherokee County, Coffeyville, Girard, Humboldt, Linn County, and Northern Montgomery County.
The competition is hosted by NetWork Kansas as part of their 48-community E-Community Partnership. The E-Community Partnership is dedicated to increasing entrepreneurial activity and developing self-sustaining ecosystems favorable to long-term entrepreneurial growth. NetWork Kansas, AT&T, Joplin Regional Partnership, Columbus Telephone & Optic Communications, Midwest Energy, Wheatland Electric, Sunflower Electric, and The Bank are proud sponsors of the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge.
All participants will display a business plan booth, present their entrepreneurship idea to judges, and participate in elevator pitches. Students who advance to the final round will present their business plan in a formal presentation to a panel of judges and the audience. A total of $5,000 in prize money will be awarded at each event, including $2,500 for first place, $1,250 for second place, and $750 for third place, and awards for social entrepreneurship, rural entrepreneurship, innovation, and more.
Sponsors
Opportunities still exist for businesses to sponsor the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge. Interested businesses or organizations should contact Anne Dewvall at adewvall(at)networkkansas(dot)com.
For more information, contact Anne Dewvall at adewvall(at)networkkansas(dot)com or visit: http://www.youtheshipchallenge.com.
About NetWork Kansas:
NetWork Kansas was established as a component of the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 to further entrepreneurship and small business growth as a priority for economic and community development in the State of Kansas. Backed by more than 500 resource partners statewide, NetWork Kansas promotes an entrepreneurial environment by connecting entrepreneurs and small business owners with the expertise, education, and economic resources they need in order to succeed. For more information about NetWork Kansas, visit http://www.networkkansas.com, or call 877.521.8600.
Anne Dewvall, NetWork Kansas, http://www.networkkansas.com, +1 316-425-7059, [email protected]
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