Can you believe we’re already on our third regional competition this month? And we still have four more to go! At the NFTE Midwest Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge on May 20, six student businesses earned top honors and secured spots at the national finals in New York City this October. 🥇 Joshua Mallory, Easy Fit – magnetic dress shirts for people with upper body mobility challenges 🥈 Prince Amankwaa, Goal Home – soccer camps in underserved neighborhoods 🥉 Aminah Taylor, Fye Haven – a bridge between therapy and everyday life for people with autism, fostering independence and growth through accessible, tailored support. And a round of applause for our Volunteers of the Year: - Kristoffer Kizer – Individual Volunteer of the Year - ShipBob – Corporate Volunteer of the Year The NFTE Midwest Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge was presented by EY US and Ingredion, with signature support from Santander Bank US, associate support from PayPal and Zuora, and additional support from Slalom. Next, we’re heading to the NFTE Capital region Challenge on May 28! Get ready for innovative ideas, standout pitches, and the next wave of young entrepreneurs stepping into the spotlight. (fb)

On May 16, NFTE South students took the stage with their business ideas and didn’t hold back! At the South Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, hosted by Comerica Bank, five NFTE student businesses earned top honors and punched their ticket to the national finals in NYC on October 8. Here’s who’s heading to the big stage: 🥇 Kamsi Dukes & Aaira Masood: Child Guardian, a smartwatch alert system to prevent bullying and support student safety 🥈 Jonathan Campos: JC Productions, professional drone cinematography for events and creative projects 🥉 J. Cruz Malagon & Raul Torres, Jr.: LittleLand Living, customizable, eco-friendly tiny homes 🏆 Runners-up: - Kevin Navarro: Choose Bake Now, fast-turnaround cakes for last-minute celebrations - Lexi Hoffman: Lexi’s Sweet Treats, homemade dairy-free cookies in a range of flavors We also celebrated Meshell R Baker as Individual Volunteer of the Year and Fidelity Investments as Corporate Volunteer of the Year for their dedication to mentoring future entrepreneurs. The NFTE South Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge was presented by EY US, with signature support from Santander Bank US and associate support from PayPal and Zuora. (fb)