Fort Calhoun 8th grade students recently took part in INVENTURE Day, a full-day, hands-on entrepreneurship experience hosted by the Washington County 4-H Extension team. During the event, students worked in teams to turn creative ideas into business concepts through collaboration, problem-solving, and innovation.
Developed by the Nebraska Extension Youth Entrepreneurship and Business Opportunities (YEBO) team, INVENTURE Day challenged students to design a product or service using a provided “widget.” Teams moved through interactive challenges that introduced key entrepreneurial skills, including product development, target markets, branding and marketing, and basic budgeting. Students also worked alongside student and adult mentors and concluded the day by pitching their ideas to judges.
Overall Winners – Fish-able
The winning business concept, Fish-able, stood out for its creativity, problem-solving, and strong presentation. Congratulations to Lucy Billesbach, Alice Kubicek, Camden Dowling, Max Havlat, Jackson Smith, and Warren Prescher, with support from peer mentor Jo Jo Winterberg.
Fan Favorite Award
The Fan Favorite was selected by student vote and was awarded to Blakely Aufenkamp, Dylan Brewer, Wyatt Mann, Tinsley Ross, and Jagger Smith, supported by peer mentors Chris Post Whiteowl and Adam Elofsen.
INVENTURE Day provided Fort Calhoun students with a meaningful, real-world learning experience while building confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills. Fort Calhoun Schools thanks the UNL Extension team for an inspiring and impactful day.
Winners
Fan-Favorite
