Ford County Announces Winners of Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge

Original story written by Vincent Marshall appeared on February 23, 2017 in the Dodge City Globe. Story can be found here.

For the first time in Dodge City, the Youth Entrepreneurship Competition winners were named as part of the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge series.

Canyon and Amber Laskowsky were named the first place recipients of $1,500 and a spot in the state competition held in Hays on April 24.

Amber, a senior at Dodge City High School and Canyon, a sophomore, made their business presentation on drone aerial photography.

The business model was for real estate, insurance companies and other uses for drone footage.

"Canyon is currently working on getting his license for the drone," Amber told the judges. "He has already received his piloting and registration with the Federal Aviation Administration which we did once the purchase of the drone was made."

As part of the competition, students prepared an executive summary, a formal presentation and an elevator pitch with the students' work being judged by local entrepreneurs, public sector partners, teachers or other adults.

Their presentations were made at the Dodge City Community College Little Theater on Wednesday.

"Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation is one of many community organizations across Kansas to host a locally organized event designed to give students a hands-on entrepreneurship experience," said special projects coordinator Mollea Wainscott in a previous press release.

Along with the Ford County competition, there were will be at least 22 other competitions across the state leading up to the state competition with more than 250 students competing.

Second place for the Ford County competition went to Jason Luft, third place to Thai Nguyen and Best Rural to Jasmine Castillo.