Twelve entrepreneurship students entered business plans at the 7th Annual Ogallala Commons Regional Youth E-Fair in Nazareth on Tuesday Nov. 5 to compete against students from other schools for $4,700 total in cash prizes.

The students completed an interview, presented a 60-second pitch and created a booth for the fair. Logan Hinders, Brady Thetford, Amanda Koontz and Jacob Reylea, placed in the “Ready-to-Go” and the “Still-in-the-Future” categories. 

As first place winners, Hinders received $1000 for Hinders Lighting Design in the “Ready-to-Go” category while Koontz brought home $1000 for “Cesped,” an advertising company, in the “Still-in-the-Future” category. Thetford won $750 in second place in “Ready-to-Go” with his lawn care business and Reylea earned $100 for capturing fourth place in “Still-in-the-Future” with “Calzature.”

Students developed the plans in their entrepreneurship class taught by Marcie Cook.

“I was very excited about the fair and how my students placed,” Cook said. “Especially this year since it was the first time and we didn’t know what to expect.”

According to a press release, Darryl Birkenfield, the main sponsor of the event, said that the youth entrepreneurs showed creativity and skill by presenting these ideas before their peers, the judges and the public.

“We know that the students benefited tremendously from the learning experience,” Birkenfield said. “In future E-Fairs, we will continue to engage youth entrepreneurs to develop business possibilities that can bring youth back for our communities.”

Winning students are visited the sponsoring businesses to take photographs with them this week.

“This is a networking event to meet sponsors and people who are interested in students with entrepreneurial spirit,” Cook said.