We have some winners! Winners of the 2013 YouthBiz competition were selected in December, 2013. A total of $2,100 in prize money was awarded to students in southeast Saskatchewan for their efforts in describing their business ideas and developing business plans. This year, 230 students registered to compete in this innovative youth business competition. YouthBiz is a youth contest offered by Community Futures (CF) Sunrise.
In the Grade 10 – 12 category, First Place and $500 in prize money went to Karina Peterson of Weyburn for her venture Events by Pandora, an event planning business. Second Place and $300 was awarded to Goitom Gaber of Weyburn for his vehicle cleaning business Fresh Auto. Third Place and $150 went to Kauron Cooper of Weyburn for the business Generations of Care, a seniors care home.
In the Grade 6 – 9 category, First Place and $500 in prize money was awarded to Olivia Bocian of Weyburn for her makeup manufacturing and sales business Eiffel Cosmetics. Second Place and $300 went to Lorynn Labbie of Weyburn for her company Art Academy. Third Place and $150 was awarded to Leah Macfarlane of Carnduff for her café and grocery store Simply Fair Trade.
"2013 marks the seventh year this youth business competition has been offered by CF Sunrise. Many talented young people shared their business ideas this year. The quality and creativity they displayed was simply amazing. The YouthBiz program focuses on assisting young people in finding out what it's like to start a business, and all the planning and decision-making involved. Students describe all facets of their imagined business idea including their set-up process. Some students have returned to compete in this contest a few years in a row, and many say it's one of their favorite school projects," says Verna O'Neill of CF Sunrise.
Achievement Awards were also given to students whose entries displayed outstanding qualities. Brieanna VanDamme of Radville received an award for her "Entrepreneurial Spirit" in operating her own wood cutting and supply business Wood Girls. Blayke Walbaum and Maya Knipfel of Weyburn won an award for their "Outstanding Extras" submitted with their Forever Active Dancewear entry. An award for "Descriptive Writing" was given to Alexandria Kuntz and Jennie Neufeld for their ice cream business entry Cones de la Zone. The "Customer Service" award went to Sophie Clarke and Kristina Brasseur from Midale for the way they detailed their customer service standards in their dance wear and cosmetics company.
Visit www.cfsask.ca/sunrise for a closer look at all of these YouthBiz winner submissions.
Special thanks to the mentorship provided by regional teachers, and for the generous support of 2013 YouthBiz sponsors: Cenovus, Affinity Credit Union, Weyburn Credit Union, SaskTel, SaskEnergy, Information Services Corporation, the Ministry of the Economy, Jerry Mainil Ltd., Business Infosource and Southeast Regional College.