High school students from six area high schools presented their business plans last Thursday, May 14th to an audience and a panel of judges for a chance to win prize money and scholarships during the Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) E City (Entrepreneurship, Connecting, Inspiring and Teaching Youth) Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Ryan Hyde, 18, a senior at Thomas W. Harvey High School in Painesville, won first place for his Ignited Invitations concept. Hyde created an environmentally-safe alternative to a fire pit using Bunsen burner fuel gel and a brass casing, after his mother commented that she wished she could put their fire pit on the wooden deck.

Hyde was among 500 students who took Y.O.U.’s E City course, which teaches teenagers the process of starting a business. The students then created business plans for their companies and presented them. Sixteen students representing the top three companies from each of the schools competed in Thursday’s competition.

“We’re proud of all these kids,” says Y.O.U. president Carol Rivchun. “They are mastering the skills of entrepreneurship and money management.  These are teenagers, 16 and 17 years old, and most of them have already started businesses.”

Hyde will now go on to compete in the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship’s National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in New York in October. Additionally, he received $1,000 from Y.O.U. to start his business and fund his trip to New York, and a $1,000 scholarship from E&Y, which hosted the event. Paul Moss, founder and CEO of Moss Corporation and keynote speaker at the event, will take Hyde to a Cavs playoffs game  in court-side seats. Hyde will also be recognized at the upcoming Entrepreneur of the Year Gala.

Hyde says he became interested in business after joining Future Business Leaders of America, where he got involved with program supporter Avery Dennison. “I’ve liked money since I was young,” he says. “I just got hooked on business and decided to take the entrepreneurship course.”

Joey Orosz, also a senior at Harvey High School, took second place with Embracelets, a company that aims to make paracord bracelets that promote awareness of a cause or can be sold to help raise money for a cause. He received $500 for his business and a trip to New York for the national competition.

Carina Watson, a senior at Horizon Science Academy, won third place for Sweeties’ Treaty Pops, which makes cake pops. She won $250 for her business. Moss gave Orosz and Watson and their parents tickets to a game, as well.