McCracken County High School students Emma Nolan, Madison McKinney, Noah Hambrick, and William Seaton have been accepted to the Governor's School for Entrepreneurs (GSE). Additionally, Marlee Harbison has been named an alternate for the program.
GSE identifies and empowers Kentucky high school students to become the Commonwealth’s next generation of entrepreneurs. Through the three-week residential experience, participants are introduced to some of Kentucky’s most successful entrepreneurs and fastest-growing businesses.
Students are equipped with the tools and skills needed to create and build their own businesses and are matched with peers to develop business plans and product or service prototypes. Throughout the program, teams collaborate to design a business model, create a prototype, and pitch their startup to a panel of judges and a large audience.
GSE provides students with a firsthand look at the opportunities, benefits, and challenges of taking a business concept from idea to investment. The experience culminates in a pitch competition that highlights innovation and entrepreneurship across the state.
Since its inception in 2013, GSE has empowered nearly 1,500 young Kentucky entrepreneurs, with more than 70 Kentucky-based businesses launched by program alumni. The program is free of charge and open to high school students in grades nine through eleven.