Peninsula College Entrepreneur Institute

Port Angeles High School Student Heidi Eberle  and Steve Luxton & Damon Houck, a team from Sequim High School, were awarded $1,500 cash prizes at the Entrepreneur Youth Challenge that took place at the Lincoln Center in Port Angeles on February 11. 

Thirteen teams of high-school aged youth competed in this competition presented by the Peninsula College Entrepreneur Institute and the Incubator @ Lincoln Center.  Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe  sponsored the competition, which consisted of a written business plan, an oral presentation of the plan, and a visual display showcasing the business or product.

Eberle’s business plan project was for Heidi Melosa Photography, which is portraiture based photography company targeting families, couples, and high school seniors.  Her portraits will include wedding pictures, senior pictures, baby pictures, engagement pictures, and family pictures.  From a very young age Heidi knew that she wanted a career in photography.  She loves capturing the moments in individuals lives that are once in a lifetime opportunities and shared her beautiful portraits with the judges and audience. 

Luxton and Houck’s  entry was an expansion plan for The Weekly Word.  The Weekly Word is  existing business these youth started and is a periodical distributed through Sequim every Monday at different establishments, including Las Palomas Mexican Restaurant, Hurricane Coffee, Highway 101 Diner among others.  It is specifically designed for customers of restaurants and coffee shops.  The paper is meant to be read while waiting for a meal or while enjoying a cup of coffee.  Its content includes short stories a calendar of local events, amusing quotations, a Sodoku puzzle, and several trivia question.  It is a low cost and high visibility advertising medium ideal for local small businesses.  The plan they presented targeted their expansion efforts that are designed to increase exposure, customer base and the quality.  They include an increase in the quality of the paper they use to print on, purchase and display of custom Weekly Word Publication racks and a Weekly Word website.

The two other teams who advanced to the final round were the  Paintball Wizards team, which included members Mick Munden, Troy Hennings and Jon Anders and Ashley’s Original Embellishments presented by Ashley Stevenson.  All are from Port Angeles High School.

The overall purpose of this event is to teach youth the practical aspects of what it takes to start and operate a business.  We seek to raise the awareness of entrepreneurship as a career in these young people who are beginning to consider their futures.  It is also designed to celebrate the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that exists in our region’s youth.