| NEWS RELEASE For immediate release Contact: Anne Dewvall 316.425.7059 [email protected]  Wichita, Kansas, April 27, 2015 --- NetWork Kansas' second annual Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC) will bring together students from across northwest Kansas to compete for more than $5,000 in total prize money on May 6 in Leoti, KS. The YEC features a business plan tradeshow, elevator pitches, and formal business presentations. The guest speaker is one of America's top young entrepreneurs, Zach Haney, CEO of Carnival Guy and author of The Teen CEO.
The Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is an innovative entrepreneurship battle that highlights entrepreneurship as a viable career path for students and facilitates learning and fun. The Northwest Kansas YEC was 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. The top twenty businesses advanced to the YEC where they will compete for more than $5,000 in prize money. A second YEC event is being held in southeast Kansas April 29. 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. 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. NetWork Kansas, AT&T,Joplin Regional Partnership, Columbus Telephone & Optic Communications, Midwest Energy, Wheatland Electric/Wheatland Broadband, 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. More than $5,000 in prize money will be awarded, including $2,500 for first place, $1,250 for second place, and $750 for third place, and other awards.
The public is invited to attend and view the students' work at the tradeshow from 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM at the Wichita County Community Building.
What: NetWork Kansas Northwest Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge When: Wednesday, May 6, 2015 Where: Wichita County Community Building, 502 E. M, Leoti, Kansas
For more information, contact Anne Dewvall at [email protected] or visit: 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 www.networkkansas.com, or call 877.521.8600. ### |
