Student Accomplishments Celebrated at 2021 JA Entrepreneurship Challenge

As the school year wraps up, Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio (NCO) is proud to showcase the accomplishments of its JA Company program students at the upcoming virtual JA Entrepreneurship Challenge.

Streaming on Facebook Live on April 22^nd, 2021 from 10:30 AM – 1:15 PM, the competition kicks off with opening remarks from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. Afterwards, 11 company teams from four Stark County high schools will present to a live panel of judges.

During their presentations, high schoolers will share their company’s product, mission and financial health, as well as explore challenges they faced during the academic year and lessons learned.

The presentation judges come from a diverse entrepreneurship background and include: Rick Schultz (author, inventor and lecturer; founder of RMPS Publishing; past founder and CEO of Spectrum Surgical Instruments), Patricia Wicks (Founder and CEO of PATHworks), Tabitha Messmore (Interim Assistant Director of LaunchNET at Kent State University) and Rose Saborse (Director of Community & Partnerships at Bounce Innovation Hub).

Student teams will submit, prior to the event, a Company Annual Report and an informational commercial, which will be evaluated by a separate panel of judges. Many thanks to NCO Board of Director members Jay Griffith (Executive Vice President, Welty Building Company), Jessica Hiner (Director of Strategy, DSS Swagelok), Jon Mann (Vice President, Mann Marketing) and Katie Tolin (President, CPA Growth Guides) for volunteering time and talent to do this.

Scores will be totaled and First, Second and Third places awarded. In addition, any competing team will automatically be entered to win the Impact Award (for social impact of a product or service), Innovation Award (for the most innovative product or service) and Financial Performance Award (for outstanding financial responsibility). One student will be awarded the Burton D. Morgan Foundation Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, based on teacher recommendations.

Follow NCO on Facebook at @JANCOhio to watch the JA Entrepreneurship Challenge live on April 22^nd, 2021.