NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center Hosts Youth Entrepreneurial Academy

NIACC JPEC Youth Entrepreneurial Academy participants

The North Iowa Area Community College John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (NIACC JPEC) conducted the Youth Entrepreneurial Academy on June 20-24.  Sixteen high school students representing eight school districts participated in the Academy.  This is the twelfth year for the Youth Entrepreneurial Academy.

The NIACC JPEC extended invitations to all North Iowa juniors and seniors via area high school guidance counselors and teachers earlier this year.  Applicants were asked to complete an application packet which included recommendations from teachers, counselors and parents followed by an interview with JPEC staff.  Students from the following schools participated in the Academy:

Charles City:  Sonny Diesburg and Rachel Smith
Mason City:  Blake Craw, April Jennings-Stoyles and Harley Nelson
Newman:  Kirstyn Kemna and Reid Platts
Northwood-Kensett:  Sarah Hovey and Jacob McGrane
Osage:  Carly Gast and Abbie Lang
St. Ansgar:  Bradford Bisbee and Emily Johnson
West Fork:  Faith Lau and Makenzii Rasmus
West Hancock:  Lindsey Burgardt

The objectives of the Youth Entrepreneurial Academy were to expose students to entrepreneurship, provide students with an opportunity to apply their skills and creativity, help students understand critical thinking skills and give students another career option of being a “job creator” instead of a “job taker.”  Part of being a job creator requires development of a business idea and a plan to put that idea into action.  During the week-long Academy, student teams completed this challenge and developed business plans for their unique business ideas.  On Thursday, group presentations were given to an audience of 60 individuals.  Mark Stanton of Boxes Unlimited; Jean Schilling of Kaleidoscopes to You and Neil Fell from Liberty Bank in  Garner served on a panel that provided critique and encouragement for the students’ business plan presentations.

Brad and Angie Barber, owners of Cabin Coffee Company; Randy Smit, NIACC Marketing/Management instructor; and Tim Putnam, NIACC JPEC associate director, served as instructors.  Tom Kirby, Mason City High School and Diana Wright, ISU student served as counselors during the Academy.  Three former YEA graduates also assisted the attendees during the week, they included: Val Burgardt, Spencer Stensrude and Kevin Breister.

Following the daily classroom activities, the students traveled to several area businesses to gain first-hand knowledge from local entrepreneurs.  This year the Academy tours highlighted Mason City and Clear Lake businesses where students heard the entrepreneurial stories that explained how the businesses were formed.  Monday’s tours were to Vi-COR®, Metalcraft, Inc. and Cabin Coffee Company. The second day students toured TeamQuest Corporation, Lyla’s Boutique, Wayne’s Ski and Cycle, and GeJo’s By The Lake.

Funding for the 2010 Youth Entrepreneur Academy was provided by the John K. and Luise V. Hanson Foundation and the NIACC JPEC.  This year students were again able to earn two semester credit hours for attending the Academy or a $500 scholarship for classes taken at NIACC.

The national NACCE Innovation Award winning NIACC JPEC provides college level courses and degree programs in entrepreneurship, as well as comprehensive consulting services for business start-ups, existing industries and owner transitions in the North Iowa region.   Space is available for start-up businesses in the North Iowa Business Incubator. For more information, contact the NIACC JPEC at 641-422-4111.

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