Douglas County is seeking applications for the 2019 Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge!

The competition — open to students in grades 6 through 12 — consists of up to 20 teams preparing a written business plan or executive summary, a tradeshow booth, an elevator pitch and final presentation. Students compete for $3,500 in prize money.

The Douglas County Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge will be 9 a.m. to noon Friday, March 1, at Baker University in the Collins Library. The students’ work is judged by local entrepreneurs, teachers and community leaders. This will be the second year for the Douglas County event.

The deadline to submit an application is Friday, Feb. 15.

Last year’s winner was Baldwin High School student Lily Beach. She received $1,500 for her business called Dogs Unleashed, which provided locally-sourced affordable, safe and eco-friendly collars for dogs.

Douglas County supports the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC) program in association with the Network Kansas E-Community Partnership. Douglas County is one of many communities across Kansas to host an event designed to give students a hands-on entrepreneurship experience. Douglas County’s first-place winner will get the opportunity to compete in a statewide competition and earn more prize money and other honors. The statewide event will be held in April at Kansas State University.