Entrepreneurship students competed at the Ogallala Youth Entrepreneur Fair Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Cole Community Center. Six Canyon High students made semifinals, and of those six, senior Jayton Marnell, senior Brayden Bartlett and sophomore Asher Melton placed first, second and third respectively.

Panhandle area entrepreneurship students turned in a business model canvas, which maps out the student’s business plan, then presented a trade show booth to market their company at the E-Fair. Judges then scored the booths and the top six students gave a brief business pitch to determine the top three. The top three competitors, all students of entrepreneurship teacher Marcie Cook, received $1000, $750 and $500 to use in their businesses. Marnell said he enjoyed using his winnings to further his business.

“It was definitely very rewarding to do and to put money back into my business,” Marnell said. “I did put it back into my business with advertising and equipment.”

Marnell won first place with Marnell Lawn Care, which has been in business six years.

“I’ve been doing it since I was in seventh grade, just trying to make some money,” Marnell said. “Last year, I started taking it more seriously and got some good equipment.”

Marnell said he intends to continue running and expanding Marnell Lawn Care through college.

“I’m planning on doing it my way through college,” Marnell said. “I have a little brother who helps me too, and so whenever I graduate college, he’ll take over some of the bigger parts. I definitely plan on expanding and making it into more of a landscape, irrigation company.”

Melton said Marnell, Bartlett and himself owe their success in part to the proven viability of their businesses.

“The main reason why I was able to convince them it was viable is because I had actually already started it,” Melton said. “I had already given lessons previously.”

Bartlett placed second with his Lighthouse Clothing Company, which features the Palo Duro Canyon lighthouse rock formation on clothing.

“Seth Roger’s dad gave me the idea probably three years ago,” Bartlett said. “Seth’s dad said something about it, just kind of hinted at it, and after that I thought about it a lot. Now whenever Mrs. Cook brought this to us, I did some thinking, and I remember that night when Seth’s dad talked about it, and I was like that’s actually a really great idea.”

Cook said she hopes the fair encourages students to pursue business careers.

“I’m very proud of them all,” Cook said. “I hope they will continue going down that road, and hopefully have a passion or maybe are inspired to continue down that road and create their own businesses.”