Farmington Team Wins Business Challenge

Team Tropez from Farmington High School emerged as the overall winner among a field of 11 finalists that competed in the Arkansas Tech University High School Business Challenge at the Doc Bryan Student Services Center Lecture Hall in Russellville on Friday, April 6.

Team members Tanner Green, Coleman Warren and Caleb Williams captured the $500 first prize.

Students from Pottsville High School took home second and third place prizes of $250 per team.

Team Triple S (Brenjermen Bryant, Kyle Aaron Fisher and Josh Ham) earned second place, while team Creative U (Adrienne Holbrook, Hannah Lewis and Jessica Taylor) finished third.

Cameron Waterman of Clarksville won a $500 book scholarship in recognition of her entrepreneurial spirit and presentation skills.

Sponsors for the event included Pope County Farm Bureau, Arvest, Textbook Brokers and Enactus.

The annual contest, which is presented by the ATU College of Business, provides high school students with an opportunity to develop a marketable idea, create a business plan and then present the concept to a panel of judges.

Criteria includes the quality of the business start-up or expansion idea, organization and structure, marketing, profitability, resources and professionalism.

Dr. Lisa Toms, dean of the ATU College of Business, led a 2018 ATU High School Business Challenge judging panel that also included Jason McGee, vice president for commercial lending at Arvest; Josh Crane, manager at Keathley Patterson Electric Co.; Amanda Johnson, employer relations coordinator for ATU Norman Career Services; and Hunter Johnston, senior at ATU and president of student organization Enactus.

Teams from Bentonville High School, Clarksville High School, Mayflower High School, Russellville High School and Westside High School (Craighead County) were also among the finalists.

A total of 27 teams entered the 2018 ATU High School Business Challenge. It was the most entries in the history of the event, which dates back to 2013.