WINONA LAKE – The community is invited to support and celebrate local student entrepreneurs at the second annual Kosciusko Student Venture Challenge: 2025 Student Showcase on April 17 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Rodeheaver Auditorium, 1 Lancer Way, Winona Lake.
The event is hosted by Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP) Kosciusko and Believe in a Dream, Inc.
The Kosciusko Student Venture Challenge (KSVC) is a customized eight-week entrepreneurship bootcamp for local high school students. Student programming is facilitated by entrepreneur coach Steve Franks of Believe in a Dream, and students from Lakeland Christian Academy, Tippecanoe Valley, Whitko, Warsaw, and Wawasee high schools are participating in the program.
"It's been amazing to see this program expand, with even more schools and students participating this year," said Kosciusko County Coordinator Amy Roe. "These students have put in tremendous effort, and I couldn’t be prouder. I invite you to come out, learn about their businesses, and support these young entrepreneurs!"
The need to increase support for youth entrepreneurship was identified through the HELP program. The goal of the program is to grow and strengthen the local entrepreneurial ecosystem by introducing high school students to an entrepreneurial mindset and foundational business principles, according to a provided news release.
"The Whitko Career Academy (WCA) students in the Kosciusko Student Venture Challenge have worked hard over the past year, building their business ventures from the ground up. Their dedication, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit are truly inspiring. We are excited for the April celebration in a Showcase event to witness what business ideas they have brought to life," said Sandy Benedict, Work Based Learning Specialist & Workplace Specialist Mentor at WCA.
The program consisted of eight two-hour experiential business bootcamp sessions covering initial business idea development, elevator pitches, prototyping, marketing and lead generation, setting financial goals, offering and receiving peer-to-peer feedback, and more.
"Last year’s Student Showcase was a great evening and is a hard act to follow," said program facilitator Steve Franks of Believe in a Dream. "But this year’s Showcase features even more students from more high schools in the county! I’m really proud of their work and how they’ve grown as entrepreneurs."
The schedule is as follows:
5 p.m. - Doors open
5:15 pm. - 5:30 p.m. – Welcome, Amy Roe, Kosciusko County Community Coordinator
5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Business Expo
7:15 p.m. – Award ceremony
7:45 p.m. - Closing remarks, Steve Franks, Believe in a Dream
"This has been a challenging, but engaging experience this year. I’ve enjoyed working with different mentors and business leaders throughout this process. Overall, I've had a good time getting to know so many different people in Kosciusko County," said Tippecanoe Valley student participant Isaac Whetstone.
This event is free to attend and attendees should RSVP via Eventbrite by Monday, April 7 at https://bit.ly/KSVC2025.