Grand Island agencies help build the next generation of entrepreneurs

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - The Future Builders Challenge at College Park Friday was originally supposed to happen three years ago.

“The Future Builders Challenge was supposed to happen March 20 and 23 of 2020,” Future Builders Challenge Coordinator Tara Nettifee said.

Many will remember COVID-19 took hold in the United States in mid March of 2020, forcing everything, including extracurriculars, to go dark.

Coming out of the pandemic, the Future Builders Challenge is back and 45 high schoolers from around the Grand Island area came to learn about entrepreneurial possibilities.

The event was sponsored by Grow Grand Island and the Grand Island Area Economic Development Corporation. Organizers of the event said there was a lot to look forward to about this competition.

“The Grand Island community and central Nebraska as a whole was built on a solid foundation of entrepreneurs, we want to continue that trend as we continue to grow as a region, as a state, and really hone in on our entrepreneurial spirit,” GIAEDC President Mary Berlie said.

The attending students said they have big goals and they’re learning how to best work collaboratively to reach them.

“Being an entrepreneur and all that stuff, going out to other people and hearing other people’s ideas is extremely important, so having that comfort of going to other people is really really nice to take out of today,” Centura student Cove Ingleman said.

Grand Island students that participated were from Heartland Lutheran, Grand Island Senior, and Grand Island Central Catholic, as well as students from Aurora, St. Paul, Centura, and Wood River.

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