Student Entrepreneur in National Competition
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA northeast Indiana high school student who won an “Investors' Panel” event will move on to take part in the competition's finals in New York. Michael Thacker won the Kosciusko Chamber event with his Invictus Photography business.
April 7, 2015
News Release
Warsaw, Ind. — Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA), a Kosciusko Chamber initiative, conducted an Investors' Panel on March 26th With Tippecanoe Valley High School (TVHS) students. YEA is a nine month program that guides students in high school through the process of starting a real business, including business plan development, pitching to an investor panel, obtaining funding, launching the venture, managing media campaigns, e-commerce and web development, sales events, and trade shows. Entrepreneur guest speakers, business mentors, and visits to local companies anchor the instruction around real-world applications and experiences. The end result of the YEA! Program, unlike other simulation models is a fully formed and functioning business, which is carried on by students after graduation.
This year's investors included Jeff Dryer, Paragon Medical; Jeffrey K. Fawcett, Dean of the School of Business, Professor of Marketing; Brad Skiles, Founder/Owner of Center Street Partners; Doug Baumgardner, Assistant Vice President/Business Relationship Manager at 1st Source Bank; and Roger Roberts, Club Manager at Sam's Club.
Michael Thacker, TVHS student, won first prize and will go on to compete in New York for the finals with his business, 'Invictus Photography.' Also placing was group Tabitha Holloway, Breanna Conley, Isabel Warren, Miriam Elbs, & Jade Vallarin with 'Bittersweet Bakery,' winning a Sam's Club $500 gift card.
The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the following sponsors that have helped to make this year's program a success: Louis Dreyfus Commodities, Maple Leaf Farms, Paragon Medical, The Auto Park, Wildman Business Group, Splendor Boats, Timberlane Ventures.
About the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce: The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce connects business with opportunity by being the advocate of business in stimulating economic growth and diversity, promoting educational excellence and coordinating action on issues of community importance. For more information visit www.kchamber.com.
Source: Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce