News Release--Winners from high schools in Corvallis, Portland
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Molly Young, YEF Foundation Director, 202-314-2042, [email protected]
or Stacy Jenkins, NFIB Grassroots Manager 360-870-7749, [email protected]
SALEM, Ore., April 26, 2017—Two Oregon high school seniors were among the 100 winners of a Young Entrepreneur Foundation Scholarship award from the National Federation of Independent Business, it was announced today.
Now in its 15th year, NFIB’s Young Entrepreneur Awards are designed to reward and encourage entrepreneurial talents among high school students. The Oregon winners were:
- Megan Alder of Corvallis who attends Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis. She received an NFIB/Dave Easton Young Entrepreneur Award of $2,000. Alder owns NM Photo and plans to attend the University of Oregon.
- Madeline Dortignacq of Portland who attends Lincoln High School in Portland. She received an NFIB/Oregon Leadership Council Young Entrepreneur Award of $2,000. Dortignacq owns Platypus Paper, Co., and plans to attend the University of Southern California.
“The legacy of the American free enterprise system is still alive and well with our youth,” said NFIB West Region Grassroots Manager Stacy Jenkins. “Starting and running a business while in high school by these incredible young entrepreneurs is proof of that. Congratulations to each one of our 2017 recipients.”
Thanks to Visa and other small-business supporters, 95 of the graduating high school seniors will receive $2,000 toward their college and university costs. Five students are in the running for the top Young Entrepreneur of the Year scholarship and the Dan Danner Scholarship. Both will receive $15,000. The remaining three finalists will receive a $5,000 Young Entrepreneur Award. A special ceremony announcing the five will be held in Washington, D.C. July 27.
The scholarship prizes were financed by the donations of NFIB members and Visa, Inc. Since 2003, the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation has awarded more than 2,800 scholarships totaling almost $3 million. The scholarships are used to help with tuition costs for the winners’ post-secondary education. 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.
A full list of this year’s winners, as well as past winners, is available here.
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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
www.nfib.com/oregon
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