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Recently three teens from the Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program’s Entrepreneurship component made their mark at the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship’s (NFTE) Midwest-STL Regional Competition. There, the YES Teens celebrated not one but three wins.
YES Teen Kiaira Merrill won 1st place and was named the 2023 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for her business, KiaKoutur. Kiaira will go on to compete at NFTE’s national competition in October. YES Teens Elias Scott and Sayana Scott won 3rd place and 4th place respectively.
The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship is an educational nonprofit focused on bringing the power of entrepreneurship to youth in low-income communities, and for many years the YES Program’s Entrepreneurship component has helped teens build their businesses and hone their skills, from the business plan to the pitch, for NFTE’s annual competition.
Learn more about the YES Program’s Entrepreneurship component here.
YES Teen Kiaira Merrill, CEO of KiaKoutur, placed 1st in the NFTE Midwest-STL Regional Competition, securing an invitation to pitch her business idea at the NFTE Midwest Regional Event in Chicago.
In addition, Kiaira has advanced to the NFTE National Competition, which will be held in New York City this October. There, Kiaira will compete against the top NFTE businesses from across the United States for the championship title and a chance to win seed capital for funding her business or pursuing her educational goals.
Kiaira has also been named the Ernst & Young Midwest Teen Entrepreneur of the Year. Kiaira will be recognized at the EY Gala in Chicago in June, and as the award recipient, she will receive a $2,000 Ernst & Young scholarship for her freshman year. Earlier this year, Kiaira graduated from the YES Program, and she intends to pursue Fashion Business and Entrepreneurship at Lindenwood University.
YES Teen Elias Scott, CEO of Triple R Learning, placed 3rd in the NFTE Midwest-STL Regional Competition. Triple R Learning educates and empowers youth to be good stewards of our planet, seeking to inspire, empower, and renew! This educational outreach program will provide a 5-week extensive program to elementary and middle school students in underserved areas.
Using hands-on and interactive experiences, students will learn how to reduce, reuse, and recycle and be good overall stewards of the earth and its resources. Elias will also serve as the alternate to represent the region if a national qualifier cannot compete.
Naturals, the 4th place winning business from YES Teen and CEO Sayana Scott, is a retail company helping to renew and restore the planet with sustainable products. Naturals will sell products that are sustainable, eco-friendly, all natural, and biodegradable.
Learn more about the YES Program and its legacy of success here.
Show your support for the YES Program.
For 25 years the YES Program has created a legacy of success by working with teens from underserved St. Louis neighborhoods throughout the teens’ high school years to help prepare them for the in-demand STEM careers of the future. STEM programming delivered by the YES Teens at the Science Center and in collaboration with the Science Center’s 60+ community partner organizations typically connects thousands of St. Louis community members with STEM learning each year.
Make a gift and help inspire the next generation of YES Teens.
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Your Impact
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