Communities Future recently announced the winners of their YouthBiz in 2018 program. A total of 388 students from 17 schools in southeast Saskatchewan participated in YouthBiz this year. Each one came up with a fantastic business idea, wrote about their plans and submitted their entry to compete for YouthBiz prizes. This Year for the Grade 6-8, Estevan had two students place in the first and second places. Lucas Dzeryk and Logan Dalziel from Estevan came in second with their Ninja Bootcamp business idea.

First place went to students Conner Piche and Sydney Clausen from Spruce Ridge School's grade 8 class here in Estevan. The students came up with S & C Photography for their business and learned about what goes into a business plan.

"Both of us like photography and take photo shoots with our friends," shared Sydney Clausen when asked why photography. Conner Piche then shares, "I've always liked photography and I go and take pictures of them. I just like taking pictures and thought it'd be easy to make a business and some people have asked me to take pictures for money. I just thought it'd be easy to turn into a business.

Both students were very excited to win as they put a lot of hard work into the project. When asked what they were interested in starting a business in the future Piche shared that he is planning on pursuing photograph and may become a photographer, Clausen is thinking that one day she will open her own business she is just unsure what kind of business.

In the 9-12 grade section the top three places were claimed by students from Midale Central School. Fisher Hauglum came in third with his idea titled Fishers Custom Computers. In Second place was Pawsome Puppies created by Lonna Erickson and Jamie Neufeld. Natasha Wiebe and Delia Wall claimed first with their business idea called EDU Rewind.

This youth entrepreneurship program was made possible by the hard work of mentor teachers, who guided the students as they learned all about entrepreneurship.