SOUTH DEARBORN FRESHMAN WINS 2016 AIM YP MAVERICK CHALLENGE, $2,000 FOR COLLEGE

(left to right) Maverick Challenge Dearborn County Coordinator Hollie Stoops, 2016 Maverick Challenge county champion Sidney Schaefer, and AIM Young Professionals of Dearborn County President Mike Perleberg.  

South Dearborn High School freshman Sidney Schaefer is the youngest winner ever in Dearborn County’s Maverick Challenge.

The Maverick Challenge is a business planning competition for high school students across in 12 southeast Indiana counties. AIM Young Professionals of Dearborn County was proud to administrate the program in the county for the fourth straight year.

Schaefer’s stellar business idea, Cupcakes for Kids, won a $2,000 prize for winning the county level competition. The 15-year-old was presented her prize check and honored by AIM YP, teachers and administrators at the South Dearborn Community Schools Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, April 18.

Sidney’s idea behind Cupcakes for Kids was to sell cupcakes to raise money in support of helping abused children. It’s a subject dear to her heart.

“I’ve had many past experiences. My mother adopted a child who we lost to the foster care system,” Schaefer explains.

Participating in the challenge taught Schaefer not to procrastinate and how to make an effective presentation, among other valuable skills. She had to lay out her business plan in front of a panel of judges – think the television show Shark Tank.

“The feedback was definitely very helpful. If it wasn’t for their feedback I’d be completely lost,” Sidney said. “The financial part especially, because I had no idea how much detail went into that.”

The South Dearborn student and Aurora resident says any student considering participation in the Maverick Challenge should go for it.

“I believe that it is a great learning experience. I learned so much from this and I believe anybody can do it, so they should go for it,” she said.

Schaefer plans to save her $2,000 prize to help pay for college. She aspires to become a doctor.

On behalf of the young professionals organization, AIM YP President Mike Perleberg congratulated Schaefer on her Maverick title.

“Sidney showed the determination to see this months-long project through. She used the resources made available to all competitors to help her form an impressive business plan that any aspiring entrepreneur, much less a freshman in high school, could be proud of. She earned it,” Perleberg said.

Becoming a Maverick Challenge county champion allowed Schaefer to represent Dearborn County at the 12-county regional competition in February, where she gained more valuable experience.

AIM Young Professionals of Dearborn County would like to thank former AIM YP president Hollie Stoops for volunteering to coordinate the Maverick Challenge. The organization also thanks our panel of judges for giving their time to offer the competitors valuable feedback: Eric Lang of Land Consultants, Mark Banschbach of Top Quality Building Products, Melissa Murphy of Eagle Country 99.3, John Davis of Select Benefits, and Julie Anderson of U.S. Bank.

The Dearborn County Chamber of Commerce also generously supported the Maverick Challenge program with funding for participation at the regional competition.

AIM Young Professionals of Dearborn County plans to administer the Maverick Challenge in Dearborn County again during the 2016-2017 school year. High school students going to school or living in Dearborn County are eligible to participate. Registration will begin in the fall with announcements taking place in schools and at www.aimyp.com. More information on the Maverick Challenge is available online at www.maverickchallenge.com.