For the past decade, Community Futures (CF) Sunrise continues to connect kids in our area with the business world.

This is the 10th year in a row students from across the southeast have been been competing in an award-winning youth business contest, YouthBiz, and this year's winners have been announced.

Weyburn's Skyler Kreger took first place in the Grade 6-8 category while Yellow Grass' Paris Lyon, Jessica Christopherson and Jordan Byrns placed first in the Grade 9-12 category.

Around 240 students entered into this year's competition, coming up with business ideas and writing out business plans. In the past decade, YouthBiz has had more than 1,700 young people in southeast Saskatchewan discover the world of small business.

According to Verna O'Neill, general manager of CF Sunrise, the grassroots organization noticed a gap in its programming to integrate entrepreneurship education with students.

"It's just the opportunity to actually engage in planning out a business and many of them don't realize that the small things that they're doing right now, even the babysitting, or maybe doing some of the lawn maintenance, or snow removal, those types of ideas are small, micro-businesses," O'Neill said.

"It's just really to open their eyes to what does it take to be in business."

Below is a list of award winners in the Weyburn area:

YouthBiz 2017 WCSWeyburnwinner
Grade 6-8

  • First - Skyler Kreger (Weyburn) - Rock and Roll Skate Park
  • Second - Andrew Altwasser (Yellow Grass) - Hat Trick Hockey
  • Third - Denae King (Weyburn) - Kozy Kings

Grade 9-12

  • Frist - Paris Lyon, Jessica Christopherson and Jordan Byrns (Yellow Grass) - Triple J
  • Second - Megan Guest (Yellow Grass) - Tack in the Box
  • Third - Megan Ebel - 3, 2, 1 Capture It!

YouthBiz 2017 YellowGrasswinners
Achievement Awards

  • Financial Statement award - Macoun School
  • Creative Customer Service award - Tierra Fichter and Alyssa Jacques (Estevan) - Float Your Boat Food Truck
  • Businees Operation award - Princess Agbon and Bethany Montebon (Estevan) - PB Apparel
  • Going the Extra Mile - Rilyn Murray (Yellow Grass) - Fresh Fondant Cakes

You can find more information on the winners on the CF Sunrise website.