Wetmore's Haverkamp wins Washburn's Tri County Challenge

On Wednesday, April 1, the Washburn University School of Business recognized 14 local students for their achievements as finalists in the Tri-County Challenge, an entrepreneurial competition for high school students in Brown, Jackson and Nemaha counties. 

More than $10,000 in scholarships were awarded at a luncheon honoring the students for their efforts and recognizing those organizations that supported the competition and the students.     

Event co-sponsors including Jackson County, Nemaha County, Hiawatha Foundation for Economic Development, Horton Industrial Development Corporation and Glacial Hills Rural Business Development Program were recognized for their support of the Challenge. 

School administrators, teachers and families were recognized for their support of the students, and WU Kansas Small Business Development Center and Enterprise Facilitation were recognized for their roles in the project. 

In recognition for the teachers’ efforts in supporting their students throughout the Tri-County Challenge, Glacial Hills Rural Business Development Program provided each teacher with a gift. Teachers include Christie Woods from Horton High School, Kathy Lindstrom from Hiawatha High School, Nate Bauman from Sabetha High School, Tony Scism from Nemaha Central High School and Connie Hutfles from Wetmore High School. 

Awarded first place, and named the Most Entrepreneurial Student in the Tri-County region, was Corinne Haverkamp from Wetmore High School. Haverkamp’s business is Corinne’s Creations, a line of handmade lotions and body care products. She was awarded a scholarship to Washburn University School of Business in the amount of $2,500. 

Awarded second place, in a tie, were teammates Ethan Pierce and Austin Bigham from Hiawatha High School and Bailey Hundley from Nemaha Central High School. 

Pierce and Bigham’s business is Grass Wackers, a lawn mowing business that provides bagging and grass composting services. Hundley’s is Tiny Hippie’s Hemp, a line of hemp jewelry and body care products. 

Pierce, Bigham and Hundley were each awarded individual scholarships in the amount of $1,500 to the Washburn University School of Business.

Awarded third place was Aubrey Wright from Hiawatha High School. Wright’s business is Just ‘Wright’ Popcorn, growing and selling a variety of colors of organic popcorn. Wright was awarded a scholarship to Washburn University School of Business in the amount of $1,000.

Students awarded scholarships to Washburn University School of Business in the amount of $500 each were:

* Katy Holthaus and Annie Davis of Nemaha Central High School with Common Grounds Coffee Shop.

* Fargo Nichols and Camden Wenger of Sabetha High School with fun-eGrams, singing telegrams and jingles.

* Madison Williams of Sabetha High School with Back to Date Civil War era clothing.

* Larisa White of Sabetha High School with Cake Bake decorated cakes, cupcakes and other treats.

* Annie Weingart and Lauren May of Hiawatha High School with LA Designs T-Shirts.

* Daryan Small of Horton High School with Charger Gear school spirit apparel.