Two High School Seniors Receive National Award for Entrepreneurial Successes

Date: July 16, 2014

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www.NFIB.com
For
Immediate Release

Contact:
Kelly Hoffman,
202-314-2054 or [email protected]

Lauren Horn 202-314-2062 or
[email protected]


Two High School Seniors Receive National Award for Entrepreneurial
Successes

Two Teenagers Awarded $15,000
Scholarship

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 16, 2014 – The National
Federation of Independent Business Young
Entrepreneur Foundation
awarded
two high school seniors each with a $15,000 scholarship for their
entrepreneurial endeavors.  At a ceremony
in Washington, D.C., LeiLei Secor of Hagaman, N.Y. was awarded the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and
Zach Haney of Topeka, Kan. was honored with the Dan Danner Leadership Award.

Ms. Secor owns and
operates Designed By Lei where she specializes in custom designing and crafting
handmade jewelry. Since 2012, LeiLei has been successfully selling and
marketing her jewelry online while also balancing her academic
responsibilities. She was awarded the $15,000 Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Award to apply toward her tuition at The University of Virginia.

“I am so grateful for
this experience and to be honored as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year,” said Secor. “Throughout this process I
have realized how much work it takes to be a small business owner and it is wonderful
to be recognized with all of the other finalists. NFIB has provided me with a
once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.”

Mr. Haney owns and
operates an event rental company, Kansas Carnival Supply, LLC that supplies
clients’ with interactive party and equipment rentals for a wide variety of events.
Zach started his business in 2012 with a free carnival for a local homeless
shelter and since then it has been one of the fastest growing event rental
companies in Northeast Kansas. He was awarded the $15,000 Dan Danner Leadership
Award which he will apply toward his tuition at Washburn University.

“I am honored to be
a part of this experience that has come out of hard work and giving back to the
community,” said Haney. “It is
exciting to be recognized and rewarded nationally for what I am passionate about.
This has been a wonderful experience traveling with my family to Washington
D.C. to receive this honor from the NFIB.”

“We are delighted
and excited to honor these students for their business accomplishments, by
giving them scholarships” said Molly
Young, Senior Manager of the Young Entrepreneur Foundation.
“Their hard
work, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit are hopeful signs for the next
generation of business owners. NFIB is proud to congratulate and support their
efforts and pursuing the American Dream.”

NFIB’s
Young Entrepreneur Foundation established its scholarship program to raise
awareness among the nation’s youth about the critical role of private
enterprise and entrepreneurship in growing America’s economy. The foundation selected the top five nominees and today’s
winners
from a nationwide applicant pool of more than 600 students. Award recipients will use the scholarships to attend the
university, college, community college or career institute of their choice.
Since 2003, YEF has awarded over 2,500 scholarships worth more than $2.5
million to graduating high school seniors.

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 interviewed the applicants for the Young Entrepreneur
Awards.

 

**NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of award recipients
available upon request**

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The NFIB Young
Entrepreneur Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization promoting the importance of
small business and free enterprise to the nation’s youth. More information is
available at
www.NFIB.com/YEF. The Foundation is associated with the National
Federation of Independent Business; NFIB is the nation’s leading small business
association, with offices in Washington, D.C. and all 50 state capitals.
Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent
business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their
business. NFIB’s powerful network of grassroots activists sends their views
directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique member-only ballot,
thus playing a critical role in supporting America’s free enterprise system.

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