The National Federation of
Independent Business’ Young Entrepreneur Foundation today announced the
recipients of the 13th annual NFIB Young Entrepreneur Awards, a
scholarship program designed to reward and encourage entrepreneurial talents
among high school students.
“America’s
young people have caught the entrepreneurial bug, and we could not be more
confident in our next generation of business owners,” said Molly Young, director of the Young Entrepreneur Foundation. “We
are impressed year after year with the quality of these hard-working, innovative
high school students who are making their entrepreneurial dreams happen.”
The
2015 YEF Award winner from Arkansas is Elijah Riley, McClellan Magnet High
School in North Little Rock, winner of a $1,000 NFIB/Visa Young Entrepreneur
Award. Elijah owns Jah Jah’s House of Style, a fashion boutique, and plans to
attend Baylor University.
“We were
tremendously impressed with Elijah,” said Sylvester Smith, state director of
NFIB/Arkansas, the state’s leading small-business association. “It’s hard for
anyone to start a business and keep it going, but it’s even harder when you
have homework.”
In addition
to recognizing these outstanding young entrepreneurs, the Young Entrepreneur
Foundation will honor five students selected as Young Entrepreneurs of the Year
Award finalists at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on July 23rd.
During the event, the winners of the “2015 NFIB Young Entrepreneur of the Year”
and “2015 NFIB Dan Danner Leadership Award” will be named and each awarded a
$15,000 scholarship. The remaining three finalists will each receive a $5000.00
scholarship.
“NFIB
congratulates this year’s winners for their tremendous accomplishments and
hopes the scholarships will assist these young entrepreneurs as they continue
on their paths towards successful futures,” Young said.
To
qualify for an NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award, students must be seniors in high
school who own and/or operate their own small business. They are required to
write an essay describing their entrepreneurial endeavors and future goals.
NFIB members around the country interview the applicants for the Young
Entrepreneur Awards.
