HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two Hutchinson High students were winners of the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge held Nov. 23. Austin Phinney and Dalton Estes won the competition that involved 23 teams and 45 students from three Reno County schools.
The event was sponsored by StartUp Hutch, along with the Network Kansas E-Community Partnership, using a virtual platform. Each team presented business concepts with a written business plan, a 4-minute presentation to judges, and 2-minute elevator pitch.
Estes and Phinney’s business plan involved a coffee shop they called "The Sweet Treat." Their instructor was Clayton Evans. The pair won $750.
Second place went to Conner Blubaugh of Haven High School. He won $500. Third place went to Rebecca Wells of Buhler High School. She was awarded $300.
In addition to the prize money and recognition at the Reno County competition, the first-place competitors, Estes and Phinney, also have the opportunity to compete in the Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge held at Kansas State University in Manhattan. This event will include the top young entrepreneurs from schools across the state.
The goal of the competition is to expose Kansas middle and high school students to entrepreneurship and give them a hands-on experience. The students’ work is judged by local entrepreneurs, public sector partners and teachers. This is Reno County’s fifth time to host the competition and this year boasted a record number of participants.