Martin County student Abigail “ Abbey” Osborn has been selected by The Center for Rural Development to attend the 2024 Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (ELI).
Abbey, a sophomore at Martin County High School, will be putting her business and entrepreneurial skills to work this summer learning what it takes to manage and operate a successful business venture.
ELI, a summer youth leadership program for high school students in Southern and Eastern Kentucky, provides hands-on learning and real-life experiences for student entrepreneurs to turn their creative, innovative ideas into a startup business.
“We want to give students the tools and resources they need to learn business and marketing strategies, teamwork, and essential problem-solving and leadership skills,” said Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO of The Center for Rural Development. “These students are our region’s next generation of future business leaders and entrepreneurs, and we can’t wait to see the creative ideas they will bring to the table at our 2024 ELI Class.”
During the week, students work in teams to develop a business concept or product idea for a startup business and pitch that idea to a panel of judges for a chance to earn a college scholarship. The winners of the Business Concept Challenge Competition, held on the final day of the program, will receive a Presidential Scholarship offer from Eastern Kentucky University.
Thirty high schools from 18 Kentucky counties will be attending the 2024 ELI program July 29-Aug. 2 on the campus of The Center for Rural Development in Somerset.
Abbey is the daughter of Donnie and Jessica Osborn of Beauty.
ELI is presented by The Center for Rural Development in partnership with the Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation and Eastern Kentucky University. High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors within The Center’s 45-county primary service area are eligible to apply for ELI.
For more information about Rogers Scholars, please contact Amber Decker (adecker@centertech.com) or Amy Ellis (aellis@centertech.com), visit centeryouthprograms.com or call 606-677-6000.