Creative competition

Shanequa Minifield considers herself a great listener.

The 17-year-old Eastern View High School junior will have to be if her goal of becoming a marriage counselor comes to fruition one day.

Asked if her listening ability is better than her advice skills, Shanequa explained that she’ll need to perform both equally in order to become a successful therapist.

“You have to really listen in order to understand where people are coming from and to help them,” said Shanequa. “But at the same time, you have to give good advice in order to help fix that situation and help them with that problem. So you can’t have one without the other.”

To get a jumpstart on her career, Shanequa and 94 of her peers at EVHS and Culpeper County High School are participating in the fourth annual Entrepreneurial Energy or E-Squared competition where they’ll be exposed to “real-life business situations both through training by local business people and through the team experience of creating a business venture in a competitive environment.”

On Wednesday, the students along with more than 40 business and government leaders took part in the event’s kickoff meeting at Germanna Community College’s Daniel Technology Center.

Sponsored by Career Partners, Inc. — a joint venture of local businesses, government leaders and Culpeper County Public Schools’ Career and Technical Department — the competition encourages students to create a marketable product to a panel of judges, ultimately getting the idea funded.

Keynote speaker Mike Dale, a 76-year-old retired military pilot in the Royal Air Force and former Jaguar executive, warned the students that they’re about to enter the “most competitive world for an American young person.”

“E-Squared is going to improve your ability to beat that competition,” assured Dale. “At this point in your life, it’s possible that never again will you have so many skilled, intelligent people around you with one thought in mind: Your future. You’re never going to be cared for the way you’re being cared for right now. And that’s what E-Squared is proud of.”

Divided into 19 teams, the students had to quickly create a business in 15 minutes as part of their first E-Squared team building assignment.

At the beginning of the challenge, Ernst invited a member of each team to the stage to select a paper bag. Using the contents inside the bag — balloons, paper clips, tape and construction paper — the students had to produce a creative company.

Some of the student’s ideas included: an office center, bank, Wi-Fi tower, book central, school supply shop, circus school, sports facility, golf driving range, inflatable tent store and a boat rental shop.

“You’ll be meeting your teammates for the first time today and today is your first opportunity to show us that you can effectively work as a team with the members at your table,” said Jonathan Ernst, who teaches English and leadership development at EVHS.

Before the winning team was announced, judges Chuck Gyory, president of Career Partners, Inc. and Dale, briefly interviewed each team, jotting down memorable ideas.

The winning team — Laurel Engh, Casey Mocarski, Dorothy Nunberg, Charly Shrewsbury and Matt Revis — created Got Air, a hot air balloon business.

Dale, vice president of Career Partners, Inc., explained that the team’s slogan, “You may not want to grow up, but you can go up” was simple, clever and stood out to him.

In May, a panel of judges will select a winning team, awarding up to $30,000 in scholarship money, banking $5,000 for each member. Also new this year, coaches will also select one student as the person most likely to succeed, giving that person a brand new Apple Ipad.

Fundamental advice

During the event’s opening statements, CCPS Superintendent Bobbi Johnson explained to the students that the competition will help enhance their leadership, communication, planning, creativity and presentation skills.

“You will learn the important components of shaping an idea into the possibility of substance and form,” she said. “I know you will learn everything you can from your teachers and your coaches, who by the way, are giving so much of their time to work with you over the next few weeks and I know you will appreciate the commitment they are making on your behalf. This is a rare opportunity that you are fortunate to have.”

Culpeper County Administrator Frank Bossio suggested that the students take three things away from Wednesday’s event: Every member is important to the team; the team is important to you; and if you are not adding to the creation of this country for the next 15 to 20 years then you are taking away from the wealth creation of this country.

“You guys have a wonderful opportunity in front of you and you live in a marvelous world full of opportunities,” Bossio added.

Some of the local leaders also in attendance Wednesday included: CCSB members Bob Houck, George Dasher and Anne Luckinbill,; Carl Sachs, director of the Culpeper County Department of Economic Development; Dr. David Snyder of Verdun; local lawyer John “Butch” Davies and Jim Charapich, president/CEO of the Culpeper County Chamber of Commerce.