St. Joseph's Abigail Ohlms Was on the Winning team at the Allsup Summer Entrepreneurship Academy

Information was provided by Jeanette Grider of the Saint Louis University Public Information Office.

When asked about what they did on their summer vacation, 28 area teens can say they spent five days learning how to turn their creative ideas into tangible business plans and discovering what could be a part of their future.

The 2012 Allsup Summer Entrepreneurship Academy took place Monday-Friday, July 23-27, at the John Cook School of Business.

Offered each summer since 2005, the week offers high school students (income freshmen to outgoing seniors) an opportunity to learn entrepreneurial concepts and principles - including how to start their own businesses.

The goal of the Academy is to help students develop a business concept. Topics include defining entrepreneurship, opportunity recognition, characteristics of a successful entrepreneur, income and financial statements, return on investments, inventions and product development, financing strategy, cost of goods sold, marketing and advertising, competitive analysis and professional presentation methods.

Students are divided into teams and work together to develop their ideas into presentations that are judged by local entrepreneurs. Cash prizes are awarded to the winning teams along with $25 honorable mentions to all participants. 

First place went to the team that developed "S3," an online platform that offers babysitters an easy-to-use, parent-friendly solution for all of their scheduling and logistics needs.

The Winning Teams

1st Place ($100 each for "S3")

• Curtis Biesterfeldt: Senior, Principia High School
• Victor Haddock: Sophomore, DeSmet High School
• Abigail Ohlms: Junior, St. Josephs Academy

2nd Place ($75 each for "No-Slant)

• Max Jaffe: Junior, Kirkwood High School
• Brian Luczak: Sophomore, SLU High School
• Harry O'Gorman: Junior, Crossroads College Prep

3rd Place ( $50 each for " Veggie Stop")

• Mark Benson: Senior, Lake Forest High School
• Sara Kaiman: Senior, Eureka High School
• Ravon Lingard: Junior, MICDS
• Jordan Richardson: Senior, McKinley Classical Leadership Academy

Meet the Judges

• Tanya Hamilton, Independent Youth
• Mike Medart, Medart Inc.
• Robin Rath, Coolfire Media
• Ron Roy, Wines That Rock

The program is sponsored by SLU's Center for Entrepreneurship and Allsup, Inc. with additional support from the Albrecht Family Foundation and the Coleman Foundation.