The Milledgeville-Baldwin County Youth Entrepreneur Program (YEP) officially launched last month with a mentor/mentee kickoff event, marking the beginning of an innovative initiative designed to empower the community’s next generation of business leaders.
YEP, led by the Milledgeville- Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce and developed through its C.R.E.A.T.E. Committee, is presented in collaboration with Milledgeville Main Street/Downtown Development Authority, Georgia Power, Georgia College, local entrepreneurs, the Baldwin County Board of Education, elected officials, and other community partners.
The program equips local high school juniors and seniors with entrepreneurial skills, mentorship, and hands-on experience as they prepare for a three-round business pitch competition.
Through the program, students will:
• Sharetheirideaswithbusiness leaders
• Receiveone-on-onementoring, and
• Gainreal-worldexperience
• Competeforcashprizes.
During the kickoff event, students met their mentors, refined their business ideas, and received seed money to begin building their ventures.
“We are incredibly proud to bring this program to Baldwin County for the first time,” said Kara Lassiter, president & CEO of the Milledgeville- Baldwin County Chamber. “Our mentors and students have hit the ground running, and the level of creativity and excitement we’re already seeing shows just how much talent and potential exists within our community.”
Special appreciation is extended to Fouts Bros Inc., title sponsor of YEP. The Chamber also thanked Century Bank & Trust and Exchange Bank for explaining the loan process and assisting with student seed funding, and Lifescapes Photography for capturing business headshots for participants.
This year’s student business concepts and mentor pairings include: • Harmony’s Handcrafts
– Harmony Brynteson with Mentor Crystal Law • TheCharmingTreasure – Hannah Garcia with Mentor Karen Barrett • EZSweets – Emma Jackson & Zoe Cowar with Mentor Bridgette Smith • TheGlow&GrowCo. – Ty’Jha’ya Cannie with Mentor Willie Davis • Finley’s Finds – Trey Flournoy with Mentor Wes Cummings • MiddleGADetailing – Adison Fain & Brooks Latimer with Mentor Daniel Cameron • GreenwayTubing&Canoeing – Allison Griffin with Mentors Adam Heagy and Madison Green • MeritMediaCo. – Ashley Perez and Storm Bohannon with Mentor Angela Criscoe • SilasDetailing – Kylan Silas with Mentor Barak Wood • CeCe’s Cleaning Services – Corinthian Austin with Mentor Jemeria Cummings For more information about the Youth Entrepreneur Program, please contact Kara Lassiter at 478-453-9311 or klassiter@milledgevillega. com.
— Contributed