796 students participated
HAZARD, Ky. (Dec. 2, 2015) — Nearly 800 middle school students gained hands-on experience and real life knowledge of the business world during the Entrepreneurship Competition/Fair hosted by Morehead State University’s School of Business Administration and the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative.
Overall, 796 middle school students, from 14 schools, 11 districts and 9 counties participated. The students created 313 businesses ranging from a wide variety of product offerings in both goods (235) and services (75).
Students from Adams Middle School, Arlie Boggs Elementary School, Feds Creek Elementary School, Hazard Middle School, Johnson County Middle School, Letcher Middle School, Millard School, Middlesboro Middle School, Mullins School, Paintsville Independent, Phelps High School and Sebastian Middle School participated.
Combined efforts have gone to the development of the curriculum, alignment with state core standards in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, and KDE Program Review Practical Living/Career Studies, and the guidelines for the competition.
The initial idea for this project came from the ever-increasing need for growth in economic development and entrepreneurship throughout Kentucky.
Teaching entrepreneurship to the students at such a young age (research suggests middle school is the best time for such initiatives) should encourage entrepreneurial thinking and the prospect of entrepreneurship being a viable career choice. This could lead to an increase in developing these ideas and bringing new businesses to the area over time and more quickly than imagined. At this point the competition was at the regional level meaning all students had previously competed at their middle schools and the winners advanced to this stage.
The students in attendance set up a display, prototype and business plan to adequately present their business (be it a good or service) to be judged. Faculty, staff and 31 students from MSU judged the businesses.
First place winners received $70, second place won $60 and third place got $50. Winners of the competition were as follows:
For a list of winners click here.
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