Junior Dragons take the stage at Kootenay-wide Championships

The event saw the winners from the East and West Kootenay regional competitions face off for $9000 in cash prizes.

by Keith Powell — May 12, 2016

Nathan Staplin has the MC of Junior Dragon's Den, Glen Hicks, try on a Black Dust Apparel jacket. — Photo courtesy Kootenay Business/Marie Milner

Students from all over the Kootenay’s took the stage to compete in the Junior Dragons Den championship held at the Charles Bailey Theatre last night, as part of Trail’s Silver City Days celebration. The event saw the winners from the East and West Kootenay regional competitions face off for $9000 in cash prizes, in a fast paced, fully interactive and entertaining live show format.

Competing in three different divisions, Junior (Grades 8-10), Senior (Grades 11-12) and College/ University, competitors had 2 minutes to pitch to the judges, following the airing of a short promotional video which had been produced for the competition, highlighting their business or business concept.

“The Championship show was fantastic,” stated Don Freschi, GM at CFDC Greater Trail. “The students were very composed and practiced, and really managed the pressure of being on stage, in front of a live audience, exceptionally well.” stated Freschi.

The Junior Dragons Den Championship is the crowning achievement for the winners of the three regional qualifying competitions throughout the East and West Kootenay, which make up the Junior Dragons Den student business competition series.

And the winners were:

Junior division (Grade 8-10)

1st place — Firestove, Will Watt, Stanley Humphries Secondary, Castlegar, BC
2nd place — Speedy Spouts, Bruno Hambalek, Mount Baker Secondary, Cranbrook, BC
3rd place — Avadrone, Aaron Finke and Peter Grant, J.L. Crowe, Trail, BC

Senior Division (Grade 11-12)

1st place — EZ Light Tinder Blocks, Sam Zerrath, Cailan McQuair, Brianna McCoy, Bill Gao, Nakusp Secondary, Nakusp, BC
2nd place — Simply Fresh Bath & Body products, Vanessa Ford, Stanley Humphries Secondary, Castlegar, BC
3rd place — Rolly blade Tri-Flasher, Rennee Goodman, Abby Boswell, Cameron Olsen, Bryce Friedenberger, Nakusp Secondary, Nakusp, BC

College/ University Division

1st place — Black Dust Apparel, Nathan Staplin, College of the Rockies, Cranbrook, BC
2nd place — Craft Crate, Maxwell Nicholson, University of Victoria, from Grand Forks, BC
3rd place — Stay Wrapped Guitar Products, Jesse Chan, Selkirk College, Nelson, BC

The prize money awarded to the winners must be used to expand an existing business, launch a new business, or go toward tuition for post secondary education.