{"id":138502213,"date":"2012-01-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-01-20T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acccapital.com\/youth-entrepreneur-showcase-announces-winners-at-expo\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T13:08:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T17:08:43","slug":"youth-entrepreneur-showcase-announces-winners-at-expo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acccapital.com\/hi\/youth-entrepreneur-showcase-announces-winners-at-expo\/","title":{"rendered":"Youth Entrepreneur Showcase Announces Winners at Expo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Y.E.S. for Arkansas, a statewide business plan competition for fifth to eight graders, announced the winning teams today following Expo Day at Park Plaza Mall. Twenty-six finalist teams were previously selected as those with the Best Business Plans and Most Innovative Ideas.\u00a0 Today they competed for Best Retail Booth and Marketing Awards in the 7th annual event.\u00a0 The teams were selected in December from a field of 275 teams made up of nearly 1,000 students from across Arkansas.\u00a0 All of the teams created a business plan for a new concept so they could compete for an opportunity to turn their ideas into reality. Winners in the four categories are: Best Business Plan<\/strong> 1st Place \u2013 K.C.Creations — Pinkston Middle School. (Mountain Home)<\/strong>. Team Members: Kaci Yancey, Cara Conner. Teacher Advisor: Kristi Nelson. K. C. Creations\u2019 was started to give girls a cute, handy place to put small items. \u201cOur rings are also made out of plastic bottles, so when they wear our ring, they\u2019ll be recycling,\u201d the owners noted. 2nd Place — Fun Fit.\u00a0 Omaha Middle School (Omaha).<\/strong> Team Members: Jaki Chalk, Madison Dillon, Daniel Forshee, Riley Keafer, Garrett Matlock.\u00a0 Teacher Advisor: Pam Hopkins. The Fun Fit Company has developed a 20-minute fun, interesting, and effective exercise program created for kids by kids.\u00a0 Team members are Jaki Chalk, Madison Dillon, Daniel Forshee, Riley Keafer and Garrett Matlock.\u00a0 According to the team\u2019s business plan, Fun Fit features interval training which includes 10 seconds of hard-core intervals (FUN BURSTS), followed by 20 seconds of lighter activity. \u201cThe cutting edge research and science of interval training maximizes the exercise, giving you the benefit of a 40 minute workout in only 20 minutes,<\/em>\u201d Fun Fit members said. \u201cNo materials or extra space is needed, so Fun Fit can be used almost anywhere by anyone!<\/em>\u201d 3rd Place — Smart Pillow Holt Middle School (Fayetteville).<\/strong> Team Members: Sean Finn, Jacob Roman, Alexandria McMullen, Tyler Taylor. Teacher Advisor: Liz Bland According to the team, Smart Pillows are a great and comfortable way to keep your books with you, even when you are asleep.\u201cOur product is made of a pillow case with a pouch inside it so you can put your books in,<\/em>\u201d the team said.\u00a0 \u201cIt comes in most sizes, though colors may vary. The pillows are easy to carry around but are still very comfortable.<\/em>\u201d 4th Place — In Tone Records. Prairie Grove Middle School (Prairie Grove)<\/strong> Team Members: Roy McKenzie, Zeke Laird, Avery Roton. Teacher Advisor: Dustin Seaton In Tone Records was founded in November of 2011 by three determined young men who were furious at how much of today\u2019s music was produced and unartistic, so they decided to start a company to change that.   Most Innovative Idea<\/strong> 1st Place — K.C.Creations — Pinkston Middle School. (Mountain Home).<\/strong> Team Members: Kaci Yancey, Cara Conner. Teacher Advisor: Kristi Nelson. 2nd Place — Smart Pillow Holt Middle School (Fayetteville).<\/strong> Team Members: Sean Finn, Jacob Roman, Alexandria McMullen, Tyler Taylor. Teacher Advisor: Liz Bland 3rd Place — Fun Fit.\u00a0 Omaha Middle School (Omaha).<\/strong> Team Members: Jaki Chalk, Madison Dillon, Daniel Forshee, Riley Keafer, Garrett Matlock.\u00a0 Teacher Advisor: Pam Hopkins. 4th Place — In Tone Records. Prairie Grove Middle School (Prairie Grove)<\/strong> Team Members: Roy McKenzie, Zeke Laird, Avery Roton. Teacher Advisor: Dustin Seaton   Best Marketing Piece<\/strong> 1st Place (Tie) —\u00a0 BMK2. Washington Middle School (El Dorado).<\/strong>Team Members: Katelynn Mangrum, Brooklyn Price, Morgan Moore, Kaylee Hickerson, Teacher Advisor: Katie King; and\u00a0Santa’s Super Store, Omaha Middle School (Omaha)<\/strong>, Team Members: Remington Edwards, Aidan Kimberlin, Lauren Moore, Alexas Sanders, Trey Stone, Teacher Advisor: Pam Hopkins. BMK2\u2019s product is an innovative Water Bottle Buddy that comes in a variety of colors.\u00a0 The team proudly states that the Water Bottle Buddy, \u201cwill last throughout the year, and longer, plus it is very fashionable. It is made from duct tape, recycled kite string, and metal binder ring. It adjusts to the size of any water bottle, so everybody can use it.<\/em>\u201d Additionally, BMK2 said that the Water Bottle Buddy is \u201cvery fashionable for boys and girls, and they are colored creatively.\u00a0 A water bottle buddy is portable and you can clip it on and off things.<\/em>\u201d Santa\u2019s Super Store is a service company at their school that for a week in December will feature a variety of items for students to buy for family and friends without them knowing. \u201cThe items we are selling include: chocolate hand dipped morsels and a variety of flavored chocolate covered spoons; hot chocolates, coffees, and teas; scarves, hats, and shawls; an assortment of mugs and cups; a variety of Christmas games; and a selection of jewelry,<\/em>\u201d they said. 2nd Place — Southern Lanyards. Hazen Elementary School.\u00a0 (Hazen).<\/strong> Team Members: Haden Weems, Grant Schelman, Trevor Duck, Teacher Advisor: Lisa Martin. Southern Lanyards is a company that makes natural leather lanyards. \u201cOur product is made from raw cow hide,<\/em>\u201d the team noted.\u00a0 \u201cSouthern Lanyards are special because they are hand-made, and we have invested a lot of time in our braids to make them perfect for the hunting community.<\/em>\u201d 3rd Place — Colorful Crayons. Fountain Lake Middle School (Hot Springs).<\/strong> Team Members: Ethan Westerman, Brock Rigsby, Jessa Goodeaux, Scout Martin, Stephen Turner. Teacher Advisor: Kathy Darin. Colorful Crayons\u2019 products are fun, big, cheaper, colorful crayons that anyone can use.\u201cOur product is made with broken and unwanted crayons,<\/em>\u201d the team noted.\u00a0 \u201cEach crayon will be about the size of big candies, and some will even be multi-colored because we choose to hand prepare each batch to have a better product.\u00a0 And, each crayon is bargain priced at only $.50 a piece.<\/em>\u201d   Best Retail Booth<\/strong> 1st Place – Southern Lanyards. Hazen Elementary School.\u00a0 (Hazen).<\/strong> Team Members: Haden Weems, Grant Schelman, Trevor Duck\u00a0 Teacher Advisor: Lisa Martin 2nd Place — Fun Fit.\u00a0 Omaha Middle School (Omaha).<\/strong> Team Members: Jaki Chalk, Madison Dillon, Daniel Forshee, Riley Keafer, Garrett Matlock.\u00a0 Teacher Advisor: Pam Hopkins. 3rd Place — BMK2. Washington Middle School (El Dorado).<\/strong> Team Members: Katelynn Mangrum, Brooklyn Price, Morgan Moore, Kaylee Hickerson, Teacher Advisor: Katie King. 4th Place — Manly Mouthpiece Flavoring Kits. Springhill Elementary (Bryant).<\/strong> Team Members: Mitchell Jones. Teacher Advisor: Lisa Alexander. A kit that allows mouthpieces to be infused with flavor in a fun way. \u201cEach kit will contain two flavors, an instruction card and will be presented in a clear plastic bag,\u201d Creator Mitchell Jones said.\u00a0 \u201cThere will be a full color label on the outside of bag.\u00a0 The bags will be hole-punched so stores can easily hang them on pegs next to the mouthpieces that they sell.\u201d   This year\u2019s Y.E.S. for Arkansas finalists also included: <\/p>\n