The Flagler College Students in Free Enterprise team advanced to the final four and finished as second runner-up at the 2011 SIFE USA National Exposition on May 12th, in Minneapolis, according to a report received by Historic City News Friday.
This year’s champion was Texas State University – San Marcos. First runner-up was Drury University, and Syracuse University finished as third runner-up.
More than 170 teams competed at the National Competition after moving on from 12 regional competitions this spring.
Emily Marcellus, president of Flagler SIFE, said that this year’s theme for the competition was “To Empower the People in Hastings to Empower Themselves.”
“This year, our goal was to bring the town of Hastings back to life socially, economically and environmentally,” said Marcellus.
The team has been working on several projects this year including “Opportunities Unlimited,” the “Conservation Cadets Project” and “Containers for a Cause.”
Through the Flagler Community Reach Out Program [C.R.O.P.], the Flagler SIFE team won a $2,000 Wal-Mart Women’s Economic Empowerment Grant.
“We used the grant money for our ‘Opportunities Unlimited’ project,” said Marcellus. “We are hosting business seminars, and in culmination with the project, we are working with at-risk young women to help them understand the social aspects of the business world. Flagler SIFE will provide the young women with a budget to shop for a business outfit. We [Flagler SIFE] plan on taking these young women to a fine dining restaurant to teach them proper etiquette and business skills so that they may learn how to represent themselves as candidates for jobs.”
“Containers for a Cause” has been one of the leading projects for the team this year, and it is the first vocational training program for the Hastings Youth Academy, a correctional facility for young men between ages 13 to 18.
The Flagler SIFE team is working in conjunction with the academy to convert a shipping container into an affordable home. The first container will be given to a young quadriplegic who will use the container for a home and physical therapy room.
“Containers for a Cause has three entrepreneurial components,” said Donna DeLorenzo, co-advisor for the Flagler SIFE team. “We are helping the environment by giving new life to the containers; youth offenders have the opportunity to learn vocational skills; and the transformed container will provide a new home for someone in need.”
“Competing in the regional competition in Charlotte was an incredible experience,” she said. “We have a young team this year, and for most members, this was the first competition they have attended. The competition had an incredible impact on each person.”
Flagler SIFE is no stranger to the contest. The group won the national title in 2004 and 2009, and came in second in the world in 2005. They have advanced from regionals to nationals 11 of the last 12 competitions.
Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News contributed photograph by Priscilla Proctor
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