MADISON – A statewide panel of judges
have selected 25 entries to advance to Phase 2 of Wisconsin YES!, a youth
business plan contest for students in middle school and high school.
Students
submitted their science- and tech-based 250-word business summaries through the
contest website – www.WisconsinYES.com – in March to
compete in Phase 1 of the contest. Professionals from across the state served as
judges, scoring the entries and providing constructive feedback to the
students.
Students
advancing to the next round, along with the names of their entries, are: Luke Anderson, Optech
Anthropendo; Francesca Bontempo,
DreamCatcher 2.0; Adam Converse, Student;
Stephen Foley, SafeMind; Nick Frigerio, SnowBoard Trainer; Meghan Gain, GenniMath; Carolann Grzybowski, Pang – Depression
Helper; Maggie Heinemann, 4Angels
Beekeeping; Josh Horner, Kwik Line; Cole Johnstone, PictureShirt; Renee Kar-Johnson, CloudWish; Zach Kellner, Voice Capturing Headset; Isabella Koch, Utrack; Caroline Lieu, Polar Shield-Pajamas; Sean McCall, FIRST Team 2202 BEAST
Robotics; Sara Mejac, CamGloves; Anaya Patel, SafeKnobs; Joshua Schwarz, HydroSole; Eric Sinson, Waxed Hockey Tape; Jonah Thompson, T Boys Honey – Economic
Impact of Beehives on Farmland; Ella Van
Haren, Lingua; Leah Westcott, The
Nutrimen; Martin Wilson, ManiFree; Jan Wodnicki, SmartWave Microwave; and Sabrina Zhong, Burnboo.
Finalists,
ranging from high school seniors to middle school students, represent a mix of
communities around the state, such as Brookfield, Elm Grove, Franklin, Green
Bay, Madison, New Glarus and Waunakee.
Phase
2 will require students to develop their business plan in more detail in a 1,000-word
executive summary. Place finishers will be announced in early June and will be
eligible for cash and prizes. The grand prize winner will have the opportunity
to present their winning idea at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference in
Madison on June 4. For more information on the conference, visit www.witrepsconference.com.
The
Tech Council produces the contest, with major sponsorship from WEA
Trust
and IBM. Contest partners thus far
include Department of Financial Institutions, Department of Public
Instruction, Make a Difference Wisconsin, Project Lead the Way Wisconsin, STEM Forward, Wisconsin Association of School Boards and Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers.
Modeled after the successful Governor’s Business Plan Contest, Wisconsin YES!
is designed to teach students how innovation in science and technology fields
can be developed into plausible business plans.
It is an opportunity for students to explore the connections between
science, technology and entrepreneurship, and for educators and judges to
cultivate an interest in these arenas.
Visit www.wisconsinyes.com to learn more.
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