Two grade 12 students from Garden Valley Collegiate in Winkler will graduate this year, leaving high school with not just a diploma, but also a growing start-up business, and $2,000 in award money.

Last October, Nadine Braun and Hailee Fast combined their common interests to start-up a spruce wood sign making business, Oak and Fern. This was part of their Business Venture course at G.V.C. taught by Rhonda Kazema.

In May, Braun and Fast presented their business pitch and business plan virtually to a panel of 3 judges in the Stu Clark New Venture Championships, high school edition, through the University of Manitoba. Prior to that, there was an initial application process to go through, as well as various stages of the competion.

They ended up winning the Business Plan Competition, receiving $2000 in prize money.

Fast and Braun presented a 2 minute elevator pitch to promote their business. They then spent another 10 minutes in front of 3 judges to present their business plan.

"They (judges) came back with qnother Q&A back to the girls. From there, what I could recognize as bonus items that they (judges) really appreciated was their branding,their look, their consistancy," said Kazema. "The big one was their sales. These two girls have been out there. They know what it takes, they know how to do record keeping, track their sales, keep their customers going."

"Don't give up," says Fast, offering advice to any other youth people thing of starting up a business of their own. "Even if it does get challeniging, If you know what you want your end goal to be just keep working towards that, you'll get there eventually."

Braun adds it's important not to get scared if things don't work out perfectly right away. Using one of their own experiences as an example, Braun says some weeks are a little challenging. She Notes February was a month that wasn't very busy, but business picked up after a bit.

Fast and Braun plan to continue on with their business, Oak and Fern after graduation.

Fast and Braun plan to continue on with their business, Oak and Fern, after graduation.