Fall 2022 PITCH CHALLENGE
Fall 2022 WYOMING YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR PITCH CHALLENGE
The Wyoming Enrichment Network announced the winners of the Wyoming Young Entrepreneur Fall Pitch Challenge on Friday, December 16. The project is intended to provide an opportunity for youth to solve problems for today and build skills for their futures. “Young people in Wyoming are natural social innovators,” commented Program Associate Emily Vercoe. “They are engaging in their communities today by asking questions and proposing solutions to improve the lives of their friends and neighbors. Developing these skills into an entrepreneurial mindset will help them prepare for the future.”
Through the Wyoming Young Entrepreneur 2022 Fall Pitch Challenge, WYEN invited young people to promote their ideas for a product or service that could benefit their community, the environment and/or the state of Wyoming. Judges evaluated entries according to their compelling hook or introduction to an innovation, presentation quality, uniqueness, the proposed solution to a community or state need, and potential impact. Three winners from each age category were selected (listed below in alphabetical order) and the “Spirit of Wyoming” award was granted to an entry that exemplified interest in community improvement. Cash prizes will be awarded to each of the winners to provide seed money for the businesses.
Age Group 15-19
- Cooper Harness, The Braket Pocket
- Marshall Peters, The Phone Lock
- Cole Rasmuson, Sports House
Age Group 10-14
- Naevi Morrison, Drive In
- Ethan Rabou, Life Skills School
- Katie Rice, Light-Ski
Spirit of Wyoming Award
- Shawn Bock, Buffalo Drip
View the pitches on YouTube: Click Here
The volunteer judges were University of Wyoming College of Business student, Tanley Andersen; Rawlins Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Project Coordinator, Sondra Dent; Wind River Startup Challenge principal investigator Kyle Trumble; Wyoming Business Council’s entrepreneur Development Manager, Taylor Vgnaroli; and Wyoming Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Student President and Niobrara High School student, Larkin Williams.
“We are grateful to have a terrific partnership with Impact307 who has supported our efforts for a number of years now,” stated WYEN Director Michelle Sullivan. “We have had the opportunity to work with wonderful interns and the StartupTree platform has been invaluable in working with judges across the state. We’re also grateful that wonderful teachers, including Kami Kennedy in Buffalo, who advocates for the power of practicing entrepreneurship.”
“Educators in Wyoming play a vital role in helping young people explore their interests,” noted Emily. She continued, “Entrepreneurship is about more than starting a business. Entrepreneurial thinking is developed through practicing skills such as creativity, curiosity, the growth mindset, empathy, problem solving, and embracing failure.”
Since the summer of 2020, WYEN has used pitch challenges to invite youth into a dynamic conversation about shaping the Wyoming they want to see now and in the future and provides resources to grow important workforce readiness skills, regardless of whether they become entrepreneurs.
“It is inspiring to see the variety of entries that spoke to authentic western living, interest in repurposing secondhand products to make them affordable to their classmates and to avoid waste, and creating opportunities for families and youth to spend time together,” said Emily.
Leaders in afterschool are joining together with educators, workforce leaders, and community stakeholders to create a bolder vision for learning. The Wyoming Young Entrepreneur Initiative and the Pitch Challenges offered vital pathways for engaging young people as partners in this work.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FALL 2022 PITCH CHALLENGE WINNERS!
Three winners from each age category were selected and the “Spirit of Wyoming” award was granted to an entry that exemplified interest in community improvement.
PITCH CHALLENGE RESOURCES
WHY ARE PITCH CHALLENGES SO GREAT?
WYEN invites your afterschool program, class, or club to participate in pitch challenges to think of a product, business or social solution that could make a difference to your community or to Wyoming.
Mission: We bridge the gap between Wyoming’s out-of-school programs and the communities they uplift, fueling them with resources, support and opportunities that inspire lifelong learning, growth and connection.
Family of Funds
Cultivating Community and Growing Leaders
Today we join the National Summer Learning Association to celebrate the power of Community & Leadership. Learning happens everywhere and young people thrive when they feel a sense of belonging and purpose. That’s why the Wyoming Enrichment Network supports programs and partnerships that build strong relationships and create meaningful leadership opportunities across the state. When we invest in the people and places that help youth grow, we help build a brighter future for all of Wyoming.
Why is Community & Leadership Important?
Research from the Afterschool Alliance shows that when youth are given authentic opportunities to lead, they gain confidence, build communication skills, and deepen their sense of purpose. Near-peer mentorship is especially powerful. As STEM Next says, “STEM confidence is contagious." When youth see someone just a step ahead, they’re more likely to take that step themselves.
Leadership in Action Across Wyoming
Wyoming 4-H helps youth explore leadership and civic engagement in fun, hands-on ways. At this year’s Showcase Showdown in Laramie, young people from across the state took part in contests, workshops, and tours—including a stick horse engineering challenge that brought together creativity, teamwork, and lots of laughs. Explore Wyoming 4-H Leadership & Civic Engagement>>
COWGIRLS in STEM inspires youth to engage with STEM across Wyoming. At their Cheyenne camp this summer, young people worked in teams to imagine AI-powered robots that could help them in their daily lives—an activity that sparked both innovation and connection. Learn more about COWGIRLS in STEM>>
Learning Through Mentorship
At WYEN, we’re proud to support programs like the Summer STEM Fellowship and our High School Fellowship pilot with the Big Horn Basin Boost Program. These efforts empower students—from high schoolers to college undergrads—to design and lead hands-on learning experiences for younger youth in their communities.
Nicole Porter, a graduate student in counseling at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, continues to apply what she learned as a Summer STEM Fellow and mentor. One key takeaway? The value of “volleyball conversations” that keep ideas moving and invite many voices. “It’s something I still use today,” she says.
Spotlight: Download the ACRES STEM Facilitation and Learning Models. This simple three-page guide offers excellent ways to think about leading discussions in STEM. But it’s great for any subject! Click here.
When Nicole asked current Fellows what they love most about working with kids, the answers were heartfelt: Ashley and Jada spoke about relationship-building. Aidyn shared the joy of being outdoors and helping kids be themselves. Mia enjoys teaching STEM. Allison loves gardening with young people. Lauren appreciates seeing kids from the YES House unwind and connect. And Maisie? “They think out loud. No filter. It’s real.”
Nicole Porter, a 2023 Summer STEM Fellow Alum: “I get as much out of this work as the kids do. I learn so much about myself through working with young people—and that’s a beautiful thing.”
The Big Horn Basin Boost Program is helping high school students become role models. Through a WYEN pilot project, high schoolers designed and led weeklong mini-camps for middle schoolers. They choose topics based on their own interests and career goals. One of the participants was John, a sophomore with interests in theater, the military, and video games. He wanted to focus his mini-camp on ways that gaming can foster friendship and teamwork. WYEN connected him with a professional game designer and together they discussed career pathways and strategies to engage middle schoolers through gaming.
Try This! Activities for Programs and Families
Learn more about Youth Voice! The Afterschool Alliance Youth Voice Toolkit can help you explore the spectrum of youth voice work and tools and examples from partners at each level of youth involvement and best practices. Mizzen’s Ten Tips for Amplifying Youth Voice can help lead to more engaging and effective programs.
SPOTLIGHT: Get To Know You and Establish Group Norms is a 30-minute downloadable activity from the Search Institute designed to build trust between group members by exploring what members have in common and what makes them unique. This activity was popular with the Summer STEM Fellows! Click here.
Dig into the Leadership and Civic Engagement modules from Wyoming 4-H. The invite young people to "get started with a foundation in leadership that you can build upon over a lifetime!"
Learning to Give’s series “Open Doors to Your Community,” helps young people learn about the purpose of public safety while meeting people involved in their community. They have tips for visiting a fire station, a police station, and more! Each guide is a virtual door that leads young people to an actual door with ideas for engagement.
Build a fort with WY Quality Counts and help young people learn practice collaboration. The instructions note that reflection can help develop those skills: “Talk to them about how they feel working with another person. Did it make them happy? Did they have fun?" The instructions are for younger kids, but the lesson could easily be adapted.
Keep Learning!
Want to see more? Visit wyoenrichmentnetwork.org/summer-sparks to explore other stories. Share your own summer learning experiences using #SummerLearningWeek and #ThriveBeyondTheBell.
Igniting Curiosity, Connection, and Growth All Summer Long
The Wyoming Enrichment Network is celebrating National Summer Learning Week (July 14–18, 2025) by spotlighting the amazing ways communities across the state are helping young people stay curious, connected, and growing all summer long.
