2024 Teen Entrepreneurship Challenge

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Teens with an eye toward starting and managing their own businesses learned the basics of what it takes to be an entrepreneur at Penn State Lehigh Valley’s (PSU-LV) annual Teen Entrepreneur Challenge (TEC), held July 28 to Aug. 3.

Sponsored by Bosch, the weeklong residential experience introduces rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors to the fundamentals of starting and managing their own enterprises. Students lived in residential housing on the campus of Penn State Berks for the camp’s duration, which gave them the opportunity to live, work and learn from peers hailing from different backgrounds and experiences.

Through a mix of hands-on projects, field trips to local businesses, and presentations by PSU-LV business faculty on topics such as entrepreneurial mindset, financial literacy, marketing, economics and ethics, students learned about the various aspects of launching and sustaining a business.

Maung Min, associate teaching professor and director of business programs; Denise Ogden, professor of marketing; and Sandy Kile, assistant teaching professor of communication arts and sciences, delivered the presentations. Jonathan Maderic, owner of JMad Creations and grand-prize winner of the 2023 Start Up Lehigh Valley Pitch Competition, was the guest speaker.

The 20 students participating in TEC came from five states as well as Canada. The students were split into teams, defined their respective roles — CEO, chief business analyst, chief financial officer, and chief marketing executive — and were tasked with developing a business, identifying a problem and proposing a solution.

The camp culminated in a “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition in which the students presented their ideas for a solution to the problem identified to a panel of judges. The competition allowed the students to apply many of the skills they learned over the course of the week. Team Children’s Health Re-imagined Through the Arts (CHR) emerged the winners. Members Jasira Small (CEO), Saudia Taylor-Green (chief business analyst), Kayden Capers (CFO) and Justin Chan (chief marketing executive) successfully pitched their business, which provides art therapy strategies to children with autism.

“I am continually impressed by the creativity of these young adults,” said Rhonda Walker-Footman, TEC curriculum director. “My involvement with the Teen Entrepreneur Challenge has been one of the most fulfilling roles of my career. It is especially satisfying when former students reach out for guidance with new entrepreneurial endeavors. That shows the lasting impact of this program.”

For more information about the TEC or Penn State Lehigh Valley LaunchBox, visit lehighvalley.launchbox.psu.edu.