On March 24, the Southern Entrepreneurship Program hosted its eighth annual regional high school business plan competition in Long Beach, where Poplarville High School DECA students Camryn Pierce and Ondrea Ladner placed first in the second year division for their business idea.
According to the SEP release, this event is the first of three regional qualifiers that identifies the SEP’s top student presentations and advances them to the annual statewide business plan competition on May 1. During this event, students give presentations on their personal business plans.
The SEP is a statewide youth program that promotes innovation and entrepreneurship education in Mississippi high schools, the release states. The SEP is operated by the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Economic and Entrepreneurship Education.
Poplarville High School Marketing instructor and DECA advisor Hope Roberts said last year the students presented it as an idea and this year, they took it back to show business growth.
Their business, Palleture, began as a recycling program, Roberts said. Many local businesses were throwing away their empty and unused wooden pallets.
“Camryn and Ondrea decided to craft the pallets into home décor and furniture,” Roberts said.
Through their efforts, the girls learned many entrepreneurial skills including prepping a budget, the risks of owning a business and budgeting, Roberts said.
The high school seniors, with help from friends, spend their weekends crafting their furniture, Roberts said.
“Their products are available for purchase at the Rusty Roosta in Poplarville,” Roberts said. “They have done a good job taking a simple piece of wood and turning it into something pretty.”
According to the release, the 2015 State Business Plan competition will be held on Friday, May 1 at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.