May 10—Tornado warnings only postponed the trade show where high school students across Dickinson County presented businesses they proposed and created. The students created the businesses and learned how to be entrepreneurs as part of the Dickinson County Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities Program (CEO).

The trade show at Sterl Hall was the night of Tuesday, May 7, after the program decided to postpone due to the severe storms Monday. The program also held a show in Herington May 1.

Katrina Loader, board member of the program, said the 12 students accepted into the program were great. Jennifer Waite, also a board member, said the students thought outside of the box with their business ideas.

"Some years you kind of see the same thing over and over, but I feel like this year the kids really stepped outside the box," Waite said. "They really leaned into what their interests are and built their business from that."

The trade show is one of the last activities the group has in the program. The students had their exit interviews that Tuesday before the show.

Bulletin Blondie

Hailey Lemon's business creates bulletin board kits for teachers. Her desire to pursue education as a career inspired this business choice.

"I really enjoy being around kids, and I wanted to make their classrooms and stuff for them more fun and educational for them," Lemon said.

Currently a junior at Chapman High School, Lemon said she wants to continue her business at least into her senior year.

Burning Bright Candle Co.

Josephine Banks decided for her business to create color-changing wood wick soy candles, wax melts and 84 essential oils.

"We specialize in customized designs on the sides (of candles) as well, so you can bring art into your home because I feel like that is important because we don't see enough art in the world anymore," the Chapman High School junior said.

Banks has an affinity for candles, frequenting the local Yankee Candle store when she lived in Colorado. That plus her desire to pursue cosmetology as a career convinced her to create a candle company with cosmetology influences.

Banks said her business is doing well, so she wants to keep the business running while she attends college for cosmetology. She also wants to open her own salon in the future.

Coup Cast

Spencer Coup, senior at Solomon High School, created a sports podcast focused on high school students in central Kansas. Coup was not present at the trade show.

Cowgirl Creations

Hope High School's Riley Hunnicutt decided she wanted to make custom doormats and cowhide earrings for her business. The senior said she kept the name of her business general so that she was not limited with what she could create.

"My mom has been telling me to do doormats for so long, but I wanted to do earrings, and I'm indecisive," Hunnicutt said.

She will continue to take custom orders while she attends college.

DK Lawns

Parker Farr, senior at Abilene HIgh School, decided to take his experience in landscaping and work for his own business. He has worked for landscaping companies Geske Interiors and Proscape. He is planning to continue operating his business after this year's CEO program concludes.

"The program helped me a lot starting this business," Farr said. "I've always mowed lawns since I was a little kid, just going door to door to neighbors and mowing their lawns. I think this just helped me get my name out there."

Homestead Hue Creations

Ashley Mascareno, senior at Herington High School, creates custom front door decorations with wood and other accessories. After discussions with locals, she realized Herington had a desire for locally made front door decorations. Currently she does not plan on continuing Homestead Hue Creations once she begins attending college.

Lazy Daisy

Emilee Goston, senior at Chapman High School, does floral arrangements and mini-bouquets. She sells her bouquets at the 4:10 Irish Den in Chapman. She said the floral business connected to the Chapman FFA inspired her to create a similar business herself.

"It's something I want to be doing for the rest of my life," Goston said. "I want to do all my friend's weddings and stuff like that."

While she is going to college for radiology, she wants to keep her business going.

NovaTech

Aiden Souza claims his business has the fastest and cheapest custom built computers on the market.

"The only thing cheaper than buying one of my computers right now is building it yourself," Souza said.

His computers can be made for businesses, graphic design, spreadsheets and gaming. He said the computers he builds can run 1,500 browser tabs simultaneously.

"If you're looking cost per tab, for most business computers, you're paying about $10 to $15 per tab. With my computers, 75 to 50 cents," he said.

The Herington High School senior said he has been working with wires and electronics since elementary school and eventually became adept with computers.

He will take NovaTech with him to Tabor College in their entrepreneurship program and continue running the business for the next four years.

Souza also received recognition at the national level in the Midland Institute National Pitch Competition. He was selected as one of 18 students with the best business pitch out of 426 students who submitted.

Pintail Flyways

Kyson Becker, Abilene High School senior, decided for his business to create hunting-themed leather patch hats and hoodies, which combined two of his interests. He will not continue the business after the program concludes.

Precision Detailing

Dakota Nisbeth, Chapman High School junior, performs mobile interior detailing, which involves cleaning everything in a vehicle.

"I find great enjoyment in cleaning things, and I combined my passion for cars and passion for cleaning together," Nisbeth said.

He plans on continuing his business for the rest of high school and into college.

RockAir Drones

Carter Rock offers any type of drone videography and photography to promote whatever clients may need. His father's and grandfather's use of drones to survey crop ground inspired the Chapman High School junior's business idea. He will continue his business after the program concludes.

Wild Bill Western Apparel

"So I'm a bigger guy, so I made clothes anybody could fit in," said Abilene High School's Gavin Runyon.

Runyon's clothing business creates Wild Bill Hickok-themed clothing from XXXL to medium sizes that cost between $20 to $25.

The high school senior has not decided whether he'll continue his business.

To learn more about the Dickinson County CEO program, go to www.dickinsoncountyceo.com.