The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Young Entrepreneur Foundation today announced that 10 Missouri high school seniors were among the 115 scholarship winners of NFIB’s 15th annual Young Entrepreneur Awards. The scholarship program rewards and encourages entrepreneurial talents among high school students who own and operate their own small business.
“We’re proud of these students,” said Brad Jones, state director of NFIB. “It’s hard for anyone to start a business and keep it going, but these students did that in between doing homework and studying for tests.”
Thanks to Visa Inc. and other small business supporters, the 110 high school seniors who won a Young Entrepreneur Award received a $2,000 college scholarship.
The Missouri winners:
- Lincoln Amstutz, who attends Grace Classical Academy in Nixa, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
- Sarah Bauman, who attends Valle Catholic High School in Ste. Genevieve, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
- Sara Gammon, who attends Drexel High School in Drexel, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
- Dillon Linneman, who attends Carrollton R-VII High School in Carrollton, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
- Hadleigh Luthy, who attends Lebanon High School in Lebanon, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
- Cody Majesky, who attends Francis Howell North High School in St. Charles, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
- Kenna Michael, who attends Milan C-2 High School in Milan, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
- Michael Naber, who attends Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School in St. Louis, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
- Haylee Schreier, who attends Lexington High School in Lexington, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
- Raleigh Woods, who attends Branson High School in Branson, will receive an NFIB/Benish/Runser Young Entrepreneur Award.
Five additional students were named finalists for NFIB’s top two scholarships: the 2017 NFIB Young Entrepreneur of the Year and the 2017 NFIB Dan Danner Leadership Award and will be honored at an event in Washington, D.C., on July 27. The top two winners will receive a $15,000 scholarship, and the remaining three finalists will each receive a $5,000 scholarship.
To qualify for an NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award, students must be seniors in high school who own and 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.
