SALEM, Ore., April 18, 2014—The National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur Foundation announced the Oregon recipients of its 12th annual NFIB Young Entrepreneur Awards, a scholarship program designed to reward and encourage entrepreneurial talents among high school students.
More than 600 students nationwide applied for a YEF scholarship this year, and NFIB is proud to award two scholarships to young entrepreneurs in Oregon. They are:
- Selena Gregory of Eugene, winner of the NFIB/Oregon Leadership Council Young Entrepreneur Award and a senior at Churchill High School. The name of her business is Luna Bug Photorgraphy, and she plans to attend Lane Community College.
- Victoria Pence of Beaverton, winner of the NFIB/Mr. Rooter Plumbing Young Entrepreneur Award and a senior at Sunset High School. The name of her business is Yes Designs, and she plans to attend Oregon State University.
In 2014, the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation awarded 100 Young Entrepreneur Award Scholarships to students across the country. Each award is between $1,000 and $15,000. Students who received the Young Entrepreneur Award are seniors in high school who own and/or operate their own small business. The scholarships are used to help with tuition costs for the winners’ post-secondary education. NFIB’s Young Entrepreneur Foundation awarded $145,000 to deserving young entrepreneurs in 2014, thanks to the financial support from numerous small-business leaders, corporate and foundation supporters.
“The YEF Oregon applicants and award winners are simply outstanding individuals, said Steve Ferree, owner of Mr. Rooter Plumbing. I have had the privilege of meeting or interviewing many of them over the years, and without exception, they are extraordinary students and community leaders in addition to being successful young entrepreneurs. Our members, myself included, find their stories and successes both exciting and inspirational. It is good to know that these talented individuals will be providing leadership in the years ahead.”
Added Molly Young, senior manager of the Young Entrepreneur Foundation: “America’s young people have caught the entrepreneurial bug, and we at the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation could not be more confident in our next generation of business owners. The number of applicants for the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Awards continues to grow, and we are impressed year after year with the quality of these hard-working, innovative high school students who are making their entrepreneurial dreams happen. Our scholarship winners are driven to succeed; our nation’s future is all the brighter because of their determination and leadership. 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.”
In addition to recognizing these outstanding young entrepreneurs, the Young Entrepreneur Foundation will honor five students selected as Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalists with an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on July 16. During the event, the winners of the 2014 NFIB Young Entrepreneur of the Year and the 2014 NFIB Dan Danner Leadership Award will be named and each awarded a $15,000 scholarship. The remaining three finalists will each receive a $5,000 scholarship. A full list of this year’s winners is available here.
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. Since 2003, YEF has awarded over 2,500 scholarships worth more than $2.5 million to graduating high school seniors.
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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 advocacy 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 send 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.
National Federation of Independent Business/Oregon
3340 Commercial St. S.E. Suite 210
Salem, OR 97302
503-364-4450
