Students Show Entrepreneurial Spirit

Heather Jenkins, 16, left, and Crystal Dean, 18, work together on a line of organic body products Tuesday afternoon as they participate in the 2013 Entrepreneur Boot Camp. The camp is open to high school students and gives them a look at running their own business in a weeklong event featuring speakers, workshops, tours dealing with entrepreneurship and ends with a 60-second elevator pitch contest.
Heather Jenkins, 16, left, and Crystal Dean, 18, work together on a line of organic body products Tuesday afternoon as they participate in the 2013 Entrepreneur Boot Camp. The camp is open to high school students and gives them a look at running their own business in a weeklong event featuring speakers, workshops, tours dealing with entrepreneurship and ends with a 60-second elevator pitch contest.

FAYETTEVILLE — Jacob Elser is on his way to being a young entrepreneur.

The 16-year-old from Haas Hall Academy in Fayetteville won the top prize Friday in the 2013 Entrepreneur Boot Camp with his Snow-Shield product.

“I felt like I did a good job. I didn’t expect to win, but I’m not surprised,” Elser said.

He was one of 14 Washington County high school students who took part in the second year of the boot camp. The weeklong program included classes on entrepreneurship, tours of local startup

At A Glance

The Teams

The 14 Washington County high school students participating in the 2013 Entrepreneur Boot Camp competed in a 60-second elevator pitch contest. Jacob Elser won first, and Maci Eklund and Josh Williams claimed second place.

• Jacob Elser: Snow-Shield, product to cover vehicle windows from snow and ice

• Maci Eklund, Josh Williams: Leave It To Us, service providing business that would do tasks from shopping to cleaning

• Harrison McNeill, A-driana Pianalto, Mari Herver and Audrey Gibson: Visi Tech, mobile application allowing users to find product and restaurant reviews by taking a photo

• Safin Attwal, Zander Davidson: Travel Social, social network travel reviews through mobile application and website

• Crystal Dean, Heather Jenkins: Floraison, organic deodorant, toothpaste, lotion and lip balm sold in reusable glass containers

• Connor Fitsch: Pontus Hydrodynamics, create hydroelectricity through turbines in downspouts

• Sawan Attwal: Nano Buds, wireless Bluetooth ear buds

• Audrey Gibson: Educatekids.org, create not-for-profit organization offering free online classes for children worldwide

Source: Staff Report

facilities and ended with a pitch competition.

Elser won $1,000 in seed money to develop his product, which would roll out like a scroll and cover vehicle windows to protect them from snow and ice.

The Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, NorthWest Arkansas Community College and Northwest Arkansas Entrepreneurship Alliance sponsored the event.

“The goal starting out was to spark the entrepreneurial spirit and mindset. I think we achieved that,” said program leader Katherine Brandt-Narcisso. She's the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce’s retention manager and Green Way Initiative director.

Twelve of the 14 participants are Haas Hall students; two are from Fayetteville High School.

Brandt-Narcisso said the program is open to all Washington County high school students, but participation so far has been limited to the two schools.

“I would like to see students from some towns outside Fayetteville get involved next year,” she said.

Martin Schoppmeyer, founder and superintendent of charter school Haas Hall, said the program is a perfect fit for the school’s accelerated college prep curriculum.

“We have really good youngsters who want to work,” he said. “They want to learn from the community and not just from the school.”

Schoppmeyer said the school used private money to pay students’ $50 program fee.

“We wanted to make sure everyone who wanted to attend could,” he said.

Brandt-Narcisso said the fee helps the students feel invested in the program.

Johanna Paladino, program assistant for corporate learning at the college, said students honed many skills during the week, including teamwork, networking and public speaking.

“They were all very supportive of one another,” she said.

The group started meeting Monday and began learning the basics to starting a company. By Wednesday they needed to come up with an idea complete with a business plan they presented Friday in a 60-second elevator pitch.

An elevator pitch is a quick, succinct summary of what a company makes or does.

Jeff Amerine, a University of Arkansas entrepreneurship instructor and adviser for Innovate Arkansas, started a statewide Gone in 60 Seconds elevator pitch program. He told the students Monday elevator pitches are extremely effective because they present the nuts and bolts.

“Your job is to convince someone they want to take the next step in learning more about your business,” he told the students.

Amerine shared the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.

“You are all CEOs of your own destiny,” he said. “And no matter what challenges you face, never, never, ever give up.”

He said teaching students at a young age how to apply problem solving skills to running a business helps the area build a strong startup ecosystem.

“This kind of program is a tool kit and helps remove some of the mystery behind starting a business,” Amerine said. “It helps them get a little confidence.”

Josh Williams, an incoming Fayetteville High School junior, said he signed up for the program to get business exposure and work on his public speaking.

He and classmate Maci Eklund won second place and $500 in startup money for their business. Leave It To Us is a personal service business idea allowing people to hire someone to do everyday activities from cleaning and organizing to shopping and planning.

The winning teams will also receive legal assistance from Smith Hurst, a Fayetteville law firm.

Nicole Chapman is an attorney with Smith Hurst and was one of six judges for Friday’s competition. Chapman is also on the alliance board.

“I am so impressed with the confidence these students showed during their presentations,” she said. “This program is just adding another layer to the startup community we have here.”

The students divided up and created eight projects  judged in five areas: the product/service, competitive advantage, market opportunity, business model and presentation. Each judge scored each team in the five areas, and the totals were combined to determine the winners.

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