Valley YEA! Students Present Business Plans To Investor Panel Tonight For Chance To Advance To Semi-Finals
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Now, according to Renea Salyer, Warsaw-Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce program manager for YEA!/Chamber Members Relation, Presson is working hard on his business plan like a chief executive officer.
Presson is one of 27 TVHS seniors who will present their business plans to a panel of four investors tonight at the high school. The students are in groups of one to four that make up 12 businesses.
YEA! is a nine-month program that guides students in high school through the process of starting a real business, including developing a business plan, pitching to an investor panel, obtaining funding, launching the venture, managing media campaigns and participating in e-commerce, web development, sales events and trade shows, according to information provided by Salyer. Entrepreneur guest speakers, business mentors and visits to local companies anchor the instruction around real-world applications and experiences.
All 12 Valley businesses have the potential of getting capital from the investors, but only one team gets to advance to the Saunders Scholarship Semi-Finals in Boca Raton, Fla., May 15 and 16. The other regionals will be held in Rochester, N.Y., and Frisco, Texas.
One team from each regional will advance to nationals in Washington, D.C., at America’s Small Business Summit June 11 and 12. Salyer said each of the students in the top three businesses get college scholarships, business start-up prize packages and the opportunity to audition to present to the “Sharks” on ABC’s “Shark Tank.”
The welcome reception tonight is at 5:30 p.m. at TVHS, with opening remarks by Salyer at 6 p.m. Chamber President and CEO Mark Dobson will provide the investor panel introduction before the presentations start. Each group has six minutes to give their presentation and all of them should conclude by about 8 p.m. The investor awards follow the final presentation.
The panel of investors tonight includes: Nick A. Deeter, owner of The Old Leesburg Mill and founder of OrthoPediatrics Corp.; Robert Chalfant, owner of Male Fashions; Jeff Dryer, Paragon Medical engineer; and Ken Norris, owner of The Auto Park.
The students’ business plans range from a non-profit organization to products and services.
The order of presentations include: Boost Your Beauty by Sofia Boganwright and Taylor Garringer; Historia, Joshua Warren, Dereck Caudill and Juan Baca; The Blend, Sara Alexander and Tanner Andrews; TabLoc, Arron Heller, Greg French and Cameron Castle; The Gift Guys, Ben Shriver, Mitchell Randall, Tyler McDonald and Robert Groom; Excel Creative Agency, Nolan Sponseller and Joshua Tucker; Daycare FDS, Robyn Erklin and Amber Cochran; Essential Kit, Jerica Long and Stephanie Mendes; Books for a Buck, Elizabeth Shepherd and Tyler Presson; JT’s Auto Parts, John Paul Secrest and Tanner Neeley; Pocket Bra, Cynthia Stamberger and Alicia Carnes; and Eternal Home Healthcare by Alyssa VanMeter.
Seven business mentors helped the students write their business plans, including: Mike Miller, DJ Construction Co. Inc.; Joe Secrist, Niff-Tone Distributor Inc.; Joni Truex, Builder’s Association of Kosciusko Fulton Counties; Marsha Carey, MJ Carey Consulting; Mark Dobson, Chamber president and CEO; Julie Dubois, Sunshine Photography; and Brent Forry, The Auto Park.
YEA! is in its first year at Valley and in Kosciusko County. Facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce, the only other YEA! in Indiana is in Elkhart County.
Normally, YEA! is an after-school program but Valley’s is the first time one has been a part of the school day. It meets every Tuesday morning for about 1-1/2 hours as part of Valley’s government/economics/English course, taught by Melanie Mason and Jeff Shriver.
Salyer said Dr. Jeff Fawcett and Al Grossnickle have been the instructors for YEA! so far. Usually, she said, YEA! is run by business leaders and not instructors.
“We’ve stepped it up where kids can get college credits through Grace College,” she stated.
YEA! is a program out of Rochester, N.Y., as a partnership between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Kauffman Foundation.
“We’ve learned a lot so next year we’re breaking it down to one semester,” Salyer said. “Also, we’re going to do YEA! through Wawasee and Valley.”
All student participants are seniors.
“It’s made the kids go deep into building a business and developing a business plan,” she said.
Tonight’s investor panel is the “big hurdle” the students have finally reached, she said. “We all feel good about it. I’ve been excited to see them present their presentations in practice and gain confidence.”
A trade show of the students’ businesses is scheduled for May 22 from 11:55 a.m. to 1:55 p.m. at the high school. It’s open to the public.
“I’m really proud of the kids,” Salyer remarked. “They really put a lot into doing this every week.”
YEA! graduation is at 6 p.m. May 27 at TVHS. Keynote speaker will be Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann.
Salyer said the Chamber is looking for sponsors, mentors and speakers for next year’s YEA! at Wawasee and Valley.
For more information about YEA, visit www.yeausa.org
For more information about the Chamber, visit WKChamber.com[[In-content Ad]]
Now, according to Renea Salyer, Warsaw-Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce program manager for YEA!/Chamber Members Relation, Presson is working hard on his business plan like a chief executive officer.
Presson is one of 27 TVHS seniors who will present their business plans to a panel of four investors tonight at the high school. The students are in groups of one to four that make up 12 businesses.
YEA! is a nine-month program that guides students in high school through the process of starting a real business, including developing a business plan, pitching to an investor panel, obtaining funding, launching the venture, managing media campaigns and participating in e-commerce, web development, sales events and trade shows, according to information provided by Salyer. Entrepreneur guest speakers, business mentors and visits to local companies anchor the instruction around real-world applications and experiences.
All 12 Valley businesses have the potential of getting capital from the investors, but only one team gets to advance to the Saunders Scholarship Semi-Finals in Boca Raton, Fla., May 15 and 16. The other regionals will be held in Rochester, N.Y., and Frisco, Texas.
One team from each regional will advance to nationals in Washington, D.C., at America’s Small Business Summit June 11 and 12. Salyer said each of the students in the top three businesses get college scholarships, business start-up prize packages and the opportunity to audition to present to the “Sharks” on ABC’s “Shark Tank.”
The welcome reception tonight is at 5:30 p.m. at TVHS, with opening remarks by Salyer at 6 p.m. Chamber President and CEO Mark Dobson will provide the investor panel introduction before the presentations start. Each group has six minutes to give their presentation and all of them should conclude by about 8 p.m. The investor awards follow the final presentation.
The panel of investors tonight includes: Nick A. Deeter, owner of The Old Leesburg Mill and founder of OrthoPediatrics Corp.; Robert Chalfant, owner of Male Fashions; Jeff Dryer, Paragon Medical engineer; and Ken Norris, owner of The Auto Park.
The students’ business plans range from a non-profit organization to products and services.
The order of presentations include: Boost Your Beauty by Sofia Boganwright and Taylor Garringer; Historia, Joshua Warren, Dereck Caudill and Juan Baca; The Blend, Sara Alexander and Tanner Andrews; TabLoc, Arron Heller, Greg French and Cameron Castle; The Gift Guys, Ben Shriver, Mitchell Randall, Tyler McDonald and Robert Groom; Excel Creative Agency, Nolan Sponseller and Joshua Tucker; Daycare FDS, Robyn Erklin and Amber Cochran; Essential Kit, Jerica Long and Stephanie Mendes; Books for a Buck, Elizabeth Shepherd and Tyler Presson; JT’s Auto Parts, John Paul Secrest and Tanner Neeley; Pocket Bra, Cynthia Stamberger and Alicia Carnes; and Eternal Home Healthcare by Alyssa VanMeter.
Seven business mentors helped the students write their business plans, including: Mike Miller, DJ Construction Co. Inc.; Joe Secrist, Niff-Tone Distributor Inc.; Joni Truex, Builder’s Association of Kosciusko Fulton Counties; Marsha Carey, MJ Carey Consulting; Mark Dobson, Chamber president and CEO; Julie Dubois, Sunshine Photography; and Brent Forry, The Auto Park.
YEA! is in its first year at Valley and in Kosciusko County. Facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce, the only other YEA! in Indiana is in Elkhart County.
Normally, YEA! is an after-school program but Valley’s is the first time one has been a part of the school day. It meets every Tuesday morning for about 1-1/2 hours as part of Valley’s government/economics/English course, taught by Melanie Mason and Jeff Shriver.
Salyer said Dr. Jeff Fawcett and Al Grossnickle have been the instructors for YEA! so far. Usually, she said, YEA! is run by business leaders and not instructors.
“We’ve stepped it up where kids can get college credits through Grace College,” she stated.
YEA! is a program out of Rochester, N.Y., as a partnership between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Kauffman Foundation.
“We’ve learned a lot so next year we’re breaking it down to one semester,” Salyer said. “Also, we’re going to do YEA! through Wawasee and Valley.”
All student participants are seniors.
“It’s made the kids go deep into building a business and developing a business plan,” she said.
Tonight’s investor panel is the “big hurdle” the students have finally reached, she said. “We all feel good about it. I’ve been excited to see them present their presentations in practice and gain confidence.”
A trade show of the students’ businesses is scheduled for May 22 from 11:55 a.m. to 1:55 p.m. at the high school. It’s open to the public.
“I’m really proud of the kids,” Salyer remarked. “They really put a lot into doing this every week.”
YEA! graduation is at 6 p.m. May 27 at TVHS. Keynote speaker will be Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann.
Salyer said the Chamber is looking for sponsors, mentors and speakers for next year’s YEA! at Wawasee and Valley.
For more information about YEA, visit www.yeausa.org
For more information about the Chamber, visit WKChamber.com[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092