Youth Entrepreneurship Pitch Night

The Oregon Coast Community College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) invites the community to attend this year’s Youth Entrepreneurship Program (Y.E.P.) “Shark Tank” Pitch Night, scheduled for Wednesday, May 7 at 5 p.m. at the Lincoln City Cultural Center.

Now in its second year, the Youth Entrepreneurship Program provides high school students from across Lincoln County the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of starting a business—from idea generation and market research to business planning and pitching. The program culminates in Pitch Night, where students present their business ideas before a panel of judges and a live audience.

The event is free and open to the public. Audience members will have a chance to vote for their favorite business idea to determine the $500 People’s Choice Award winner. Other prizes available range up to $2,000. “This program is about more than business,” said Kelliane Parker, Assistant Director of the SBDC and founder of the Youth Entrepreneurship Program. “It’s about building confidence, learning to communicate clearly, and discovering the value of creative thinking and problem solving. We’re proud of every one of these students and look forward to growing this program in the years ahead.”

This year’s panel of judges will include local business owners as well as Judah Tysman, Waldport High School student and winner of last year’s Y.E.P. competition. Tysman won $3,000 to help start the taxidermy business he operates today. Participants in the program received instruction on entrepreneurship, business development, and marketing, and spent weeks preparing their final pitches. In addition to the People’s Choice Award, students will compete for cash prizes and scholarships awarded by the judges.

Parker emphasized the importance of community support in making the program possible. “We’re grateful for the partnership and encouragement we’ve received from the Lincoln County School District, Georgia-Pacific, Northwest Oregon Works, the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County, and Oregon Coast Community College,” she said.

For more information about the Oregon Coast SBDC and its programs, visit oregoncoast.edu/sbdc.