CSU–Pueblo SIFE Group to sponsor apprentice competition with community groups

Pueblo – Eleven student teams will share their ideas this weekend for how to use land at Pueblo’s Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project (HARP) as finalists in the apprentice competition sponsored by the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) club at Colorado State University – Pueblo, LCD Properties, Castle Investment, and the Pueblo Downtown Association. The competition for K-12 and college students will provide seed money for aspiring entrepreneurs as well as generate ideas for future growth in the community.

Student groups were encouraged to submit projects that utilized a five-acre parcel of land, which currently houses a large warehouse building formerly occupied by Andrews Food. Eligible contestants must have been enrolled at an institution of learning in Pueblo County, including public schools, charter schools, private schools, home-schooled, Pueblo Community College, or CSU-Pueblo. The finalists are eligible for cash prizes and the opportunity to pursue their business proposal. Contestants will have the exclusive right of first refusal to pursue their business idea. If no team members are willing to pursue the business idea submitted in the proposal, then the ideas become the intellectual property of the Pueblo Downtown Association.

According to Jared Call, SIFE President, the competition attracted proposals from 96 individuals on teams of from 2-4 persons. Project participant and real estate broker Louie Carleo was thrilled with the participation and the quality of the proposals. Partially begun by Carleo in response to the local CAVE group (Citizens Against Virtually Everything), the apprentice program has caused Carleo to propose a new group, STARS (Students Taking A Risk).

The 11 teams will present their ideas to a panel of judges from the campus and community at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Thatcher Building, ADDRESS. Projects will be judged on the basis of creativity, potential positive impact on the community, and the feasibility of the proposal. Winners will be announced following the presentations.

The finalists in the apprentice competition are as follows:
K-12 Division
                *Team Success, Central High School
                                 Nicole Coffman, Chris Shumake, Adam Pino, Jason Richardson

                 *InHISHandsAgain, Pueblo West High School, Mason Charles Turner

                  *Cowagunga Creative Crusade for a Better Pueblo
                                 Skyview Middle School, Isaiah Turner

                  *The Jackson 5, Connect School, Jackson Valenzuela and Isaac Radner

                  *Adventure World, Swallows Charter School, Greg Wakefield
              
Collegiate Division
                  *The Gryphons Next, Pueblo Community College, Bryon R. Wilson

                  *Dan the Man the one with the Plan to make you a Fan, CSU-Pueblo, Daniel H. Ramos

                  *Sondra, CSU-Pueblo, Sondra Pennington

                  *The Calls, CSU-Pueblo, Jared Call, and Sarah Call

                   *Reah Santangelo, CSU-Pueblo, Alex Wilson, Ibukun Alao, and Tim Alexander

For more information on the competition, contact Jared Call at 719-248-7963, or jscall7@netzero.net

Colorado State University - Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive university emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and outreach, CSU-Pueblo is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality of services provided to its students.