Each will receive $1,000 scholarship.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: Three Indian Americans are among the recipients of the 13th annual National Federation of Independent Business’ (NFIB) Young Entrepreneur Awards, a scholarship program designed to reward and encourage entrepreneurial talents among high school students.
“America’s young people have caught the entrepreneurial bug, and we could not be more confident in our next generation of business owners,” said Molly Young, Director of the Young Entrepreneur Foundation, in a statement. “We are impressed year after year with the quality of these hard-working, innovative high school students who are making their entrepreneurial dreams happen,” she continued on the NFIB website.
Ninety-Five students were awarded $1,000 scholarships and NFIB has shortlisted five finalists for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which will be awarded in Washington, D.C. on July 23.
The winners of the “2015 NFIB Young Entrepreneur of the Year” and “2015 NFIB Dan Danner Leadership Award” will each be awarded a $15,000 scholarship. The remaining three finalists will each receive a $5,000 scholarship.
The Indian American winners, who each received $1,000, are Shreya Ramayya, of Rancho Palos, California, who won the NFIB/Visa Young Entrepreneur Award; Anjithaa Radakrishnan, of Nashua, New Hampshire, who won the NFIB/Alan D. Greenberg Young Entrepreneur Award; and Kushal Kadakia, of Houston, Texas, who won the NFIB/Eddie Boykin Young Entrepreneur Award.
To qualify for an NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award, students must be seniors in high school who own or operate their own small business. To be considered, they are required to write an essay describing their entrepreneurial endeavors and future goals.
This year’s five Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalists are:
- Asya Gonzalez, from Centennial, Colorado, opened her business Stinky Feet Gurlz three years ago at the age of 14.Through Stinky Feet Gurlz, Asya designs fun, 1940’s inspired apparel and accessories. On top of running a creative and stylish business, a portion of the proceeds from every sale is donated to “She is Worth It,” a foundation dedicated to preventative awareness and education of child sex trafficking that Asya created. She is a senior at Arapahoe High School and plans to attend the University of Denver next year.
- Emily Sorensen, from Creighton, Nebraska, owns 40 acres of land and rents 66 more acres to grow corn and soybeans at her farming business called Sorensen Farms. Emily uses all natural fertilizers that are safe for the environment and for the people handling them. In the summer, she takes care of daily operations for thirteen irrigation. Once her crops are harvested, Emily sells them locally.Emily is currently a senior at Creighton Community High School and plans to attend Northwestern College.
- Richard Main of New Philadelphia, Ohio started his company, Man Cans, when his sister was doing a candle fundraiser and he wondered why there were not more manly scented candles.At the age of 13, Richard, ran with this idea and started producing candles, made out of soup cans, for men. Richard donates $.75 per sale to soup kitchens in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan as a way to give back to his community. Now a senior at New Philadelphia High School, Richard plans to attend St. Louis University next year.
- Joseph Hamilton from Lancaster, New York started “Charlie and Checkers” to provide live, unique entertainment for people of all ages. Joseph created the business alongside his brother and they now perform a blend of comedy, magic, juggling, and music. The brothers have also performed for the homeless, disabled, and elderly as a way to give back to their community.Joseph is currently a senior at St. Mary’s High School and will attend Canisius College next year.
- Samuel Hendren from Scottsdale, Arizona created Tech Gone Wild in 2011.Tech Gone Wild is an online business that specializes in selling electronic accessories at competitive prices and strategically targets young adults, ages 18 to 35, through marketing. Samuel has grown his company from an initial $250 to hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales. He is currently a senior at Desert Mountain High School and plans to attend Arizona State University next year
A full list of the winners is available on NFIB’s website.