Culbertson Students Earn Statewide Honors
The Montana Chamber Foundation recently announced the winners of this year’s annual statewide entrepreneurship competition, The Prospects. Scholarships and cash prizes are awarded to middle and high school students who present new ideas and existing small businesses.
This year, middle school students from the area were the winners. A new category for sixth grade students was a design challenge competition. They were tasked to combine three items and let their creativity shine for an opportunity to possibly create the next big product and help innovate Montana.
Culbertson sixth grader Ella Anderson won $100 for her invention of RRG “Ref Replay Glasses.”
Upperclassmen Noah Fox and Sander Williams entered their existing business “Jack of all Trades” lawn care were recipients of an honorable mention and received $50. They won last year with this business and received an honorable mention this year for submitting their business again, showing how they intend to continue to grow and sustain it moving forward.
High school students in the state gathered at MSU Jake Jabs College of Business & Entrepreneurship in Bozeman on May 20 as finalists to pitch their business submissions to a panel of judges.
Prior to announcing the winners, president and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce Todd O’Hair spoke highly of all the submissions stating that what was just presented in this room, is evidence of the promising students in our state that give a lot of hope to Montana’s future.
The Prospects is designed to find, celebrate and reward students by providing them with such opportunities to show off their entrepreneurial mindset which is alive and strong in Montana. Problem solving for real world problems was an opportunity offered this year, asking students for ideas to help with the state and nationwide issue of affordable child care.
The Montana Chamber Foundation wants Montana schools to know this is open to all middle school students and high school students.
Educators and Administrators interested in learning more about The Prospects & Empowered are encouraged to reach out to northeastern Montana contact Mary Machart at machartmary@gmail.com for more information as well as setting up a training for educators and/ or presenting the program to your classroom.
