Jake Bennett, an 8th grader and CEO of Firecracker Lures, is among students nationally selected to compete in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy's Saunders Scholars Competition. Hundreds of business and education leaders, students and parents will gather to hear America’s top young entrepreneurs aged 11–18 pitch their business plans. The young entrepreneurs compete to win a trip to America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, DC and college scholarships. The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce runs the Young Entrepreneurs Academy locally. Area business leaders served as judges for the local event and selected Jake as the student to represent Sarasota nationally. As part of the YEA! program, students are introduced to all facets of the business world including, but not limited to, advertising, attorneys, graphic designers and web developers. During the course of the nine-month program, more than 50 local businesses become involved with YEA! at various levels. Students work in close cooperation with local business leaders, community leaders and educators who use their personal experiences to demonstrate how to transform their ideas into tangible enterprises that create economic and social value for a better world. The Annual YEA! Saunders Scholars Semi-Finals competition will kick off May 4 in Rochester, New York.  

Saunders Scholars Competition