Grow Clay County hosted the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in partnership with Network Kansas and Clay Center Rotary Club.

Grow Clay County held the 2023 Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge for students that are currently enrolled in business classes at Clay Center Community High School. The event took place at the Clay Center United Methodist Church Family Life Center in conjunction with the weekly Clay Center Rotary Club Meeting. There were 19 business ventures presented including party planning, bakehouses, rehabilitation centers, solar farms and more! Businesses were presented by groups or individuals, and involved 30 CCCHS students. Each business had to submit an executive summary and give a 4-6 minute presentation as well as answer any questions asked by the judges. Once judging was complete, community members and Clay Center Rotarians were able to walk around and select one business they would like to invest in for the People’s Choice Award. The first place winner qualifies for the state competition hosted by Kansas State University. The results are as follows.
People’s Choice: Livestock Licks, Breanna Trevarton
3rd Place: T & A Candle Co, Trevor Straus & Aubrey Schlesener
2nd Place: Blueberry Bakehouse, Emma Frigon
1st Place: Gurney Grafix, Addy Gurney

We want to thank Tracy Bloom, Shannon Stark, Maury Catlin, Karla Sweet, Bailee Henry, and Jim Gierhan for being judges at this year’s event. We also want to thank our event sponsors; Network Kansas, GNBank, The Citizens National Bank, Union State Bank, & United Bank and Trust. We are excited to see so much entrepreneurial spirit in the youth of Clay County.