MSU hosts first regional high school entrepreneurship competition
Morehead State University School of Business and Booth Entrepreneurship Center, Dr. Janet Ratliff, along with Kelli Thompson from the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative, helped in the coordination of the First High School Entrepreneurship Competition.
The initial idea for this project came from the ever-increasing need for growth in economic development and entrepreneurship throughout Kentucky as well as across the state.
Having been actively involved for five years with middle school entrepreneurship competitions with (KVEC), Dr. Ratliff, associate professor of entrepreneurship, was thrilled to be asked to expand this entrepreneurship work into the high school “it was a next step in broadening opportunities for more students to participate and for them to continue their wonderful work from previous years of entrepreneurship training into the future. It is our hope that establishing an early culture for entrepreneurial thinking within our youth can lead to an increase in developing these ideas further and bringing new businesses to the area over time and more quickly than ever imagined.”
Students and teachers from across the region convened on campus to take part in the one day Regional High School Entrepreneurship Competition. The students in attendance shared their business pitches with a set of three judges (a community business leader, a faculty member, and a graduate student from the School of Business Administration).
The competition consisted of three rounds of business pitch competition for 50 percent of the total score and a previously graded business plan that comprised 50 percent of the total score. Each of the judging panels consisted of a community business leader, a faculty member, and a School of Business graduate student.
Regional winners were first place – Knott County Central High School - Nich Slone and Eden Slone; second place- Hazard High School - Hagan Hall, Brooklyn North, Chloe East, Cage Watts, Regan Miller and Tyler York; and third Place – Phelps High School - Madison Stiltner, Tyeisha Smith and Noelle Fields.
“We would like to send a note of special thanks and appreciation to all of the judges both from the community and Morehead State University: Bob Helton, Dave Barber, Keith Moore, Sam Stapleton, Michelle Kunz, Connie Grimes, Kyle Smith, Cheyenne Mullins and Jacob Hatfield,” said Ratliff.
According to Ratliff, special thanks also goes out to Dr. Robert Albert, College of Business and Technology dean and Dr. Greg Russell, associate dean, School of Business, for all of their support in this and all entrepreneurship endeavors. Special recognition goes to Kelli Thompson for overseeing this project to its completion and the support of all the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative. Special thanks to Bernadette Carpenter, Valerie Campbell, Brianna Fannin, Adrian Smith and Tanner Brown.
Ratliff also recognized all of the teachers from throughout the region for teaching the curriculum and helping to coordinate this event at their respective schools, districts and counties as well as any support that assisted them in this endeavor.
Additional information is available from Ratliff at 606-783-2390. For more information about MSU business administration programs, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/business.
Pictured above top, from left to right: Kelli Thompson, Nich Slone, Eden Slone and Janet Ratliff.
Pictured above center, from left to right: Kelli Thompson, Hagan Hall, Brooklyn North, Chloe East, Cage Watts, Regan Miller, Tyler York and Janet Ratliff.
Pictured above bottom, from left to right: Kelli Thompson, Madison Stiltner, Tyeisha Smith, Noelle Fields and Janet Ratliff.
