Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Bailee Henry, Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
At a glance: In 2014, communities in northwest Kansas started a small business pitch competition among students to encourage young people to think about entrepreneurship. Forty-eight students were involved. This has grown into a statewide Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge involving 1,200 students and more than $70,000 in cash prizes.
More information: Ron Wilson, rwilson@ksu.edu, 785-532-7690
Photos: Ron Wilson | Bailee Henry
Website: Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development
June 17, 2026
By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University
Can modern youth rise to the challenge?
For many communities, a real challenge is creating and sustaining locally-owned small businesses. What if students could learn small business entrepreneurial skills and apply those in their hometowns?
Today we’ll learn about a program that is helping support youth entrepreneurial thinking and business skill development across the state of Kansas.
Bailee Henry is the ePrograms manager for NetWork Kansas, the statewide entrepreneurship and small business support organization. Henry went to school in Alma, a rural community of 802 people. Now, that’s rural. She interned with Wabaunsee County Economic Development, graduated from Kansas State University and worked for the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce before joining NetWork Kansas.
At right: Bailee Henry | Download this photo
NetWork Kansas was founded in 2006 to provide entrepreneurs essential financial resources, valuable relationships, expert knowledge and experience. In 2007, NetWork Kansas launched its Entrepreneurial Community Partnership through which resources are provided through locally designated E-communities.
In 2014, some E-communities in northwest Kansas began a youth entrepreneurship competition to encourage students to learn about starting small businesses. Other E-communities adopted the idea and it grew into what is now called the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, managed by Henry.
“The purpose is to support young entrepreneurs, to help students see entrepreneurship as a possible career path, and to identify business opportunities in their own hometowns,” Henry said.
Essentially this is a small business pitch competition where students develop, propose and even implement an idea for a business. Judges help select the most outstanding ideas. YEC is open to public, private or homeschool students in grades 6-12.
“In that first year there were five local events involving 48 students,” Henry said.
In 2026, there were 70 local events involving 1200 students, more than 500 judges, and $70,000 in cash prizes awarded to student entrepreneurs.
Students compete in local events with the top students advancing to a state-level competition. Entries can be conceptual or an existing business. If there is no local competition or if the student wants another chance, there are also wildcard events where students can compete and advance to state as an at-large entry.
The Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge culminates with the statewide finals. Participating students submit an executive summary of their business and financials plus a video pitch about their business. These are reviewed and scored by judges in advance.
The in-person finals are held in Manhattan each May. “It has grown so much that it has become a two-day event,” Henry said.
On the first night of the state competition, there is an optional trade show where students can display their project ideas. The second day’s program takes place at the K-State Student Union. Each student goes through what is called a mock boardroom, where the student has ten minutes to pitch their idea in-person to a panel of adult judges. They do so three times.
All the scores are aggregated and the most outstanding are recognized.
“We provide rankings like in high school band, where (students) earn a 1, 2 or 3 ranking,” Henry said. The top category is ranked exemplary.
YEC is sponsored by NetWork Kansas, K-State Extension, and the K-State Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship in the College of Business.
“We couldn’t do this without our many partners across the state,” Henry said. “K-State Extension has been a fantastic partner.”
Student business ideas range from lawnmowing to baking to sustainable clothing to online design projects to 3D printing of basketballs. Participants are different ages and both rural and urban.
“We have kids from 6A schools to 1A schools,” Henry said. “It’s great for them to see like-minded students thinking entrepreneurially.”
“These students are absolutely fantastic. They are interacting with adults, learning to articulate ideas, gaining financial literacy, and building community engagement and connection.”
For more information, go to www.networkkansas.com/services/ecommunity-partnership-2/youth-entrepreneurship-challenge-series/
Can modern-day students rise to the challenges of today? In this case, students are, indeed, excelling through their participation in the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge.
We commend Bailee Henry and all those involved with YEC for making a difference by encouraging entrepreneurship at a young age. They are helping to meet our future hometown small business challenges.
Audio and text files of Kansas Profiles are available at www.huckboydinstitute.org/kansas-profiles. For more information about the Huck Boyd Institute, interested persons can visit www.huckboydinstitute.org.
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K‑State Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the wellbeing of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.