Blog: One Step Closer to Greatness

The Entrepreneurship team has added another award to their cache of awards.

The Monrovia High Entrepreneurs have graciously received the Dewey Merrill Award of Entrepreneurial Excellence along with a $500 Cash prize from the Altadena Rotary Club in collaboration with the District Business Plan Competition hosted by the Altadena Rotary Club.

Monrovia High's ROP Small Business Management Class was first approached by Ray Carlson of the Altadena Rotary Club to participate in the District Business Plan Competition Mr.Carlson was organizing. He asked Scott Sorgent, the teacher of the Small Business Management classes at Monrovia High, if he could come and make a brief presentation about the District Business Plan Competition and the importance of entrepreneurs in front of both the 3rd and 4th period classes.

He returned to Mr. Sorgents classroom some two months after he made his initial presentation to the Small business Management classes to video tape and collect the business plans from all the student entrepreneur teams who wished to take part in the District Business Plan competition.

The videos and business plans were then submitted to be judged by the Monrovia Rotary Club, who chose which team would be sent to compete against the best of six area high schools. The SkillsUSA State champion team was selected to compete against teams from Arcadia High School, Blair High School, Chino High School, and San Marino High School all with their own unique venture ideas and business plans.

All the teams competed for cash prizes that ranged from $50-$500 for the top 3 places, with the winning team presenting their venture's business plan in front of Members and associates of the area Rotary Clubs at a special lunch ceremony. Monrovia's team won first place in the competition unanimously beating the best teams from all the other participating high schools.

Only two of the four students in the team were able to attend the lunch and make the presentation, but that did not discourage them making a great impression on all those attending the lunch. The students had the audience laughing and engaged throughout their entire presentation and  were commended by Mr.Carlson for having one of the best business plans he had ever seen.

The addition of the Dewey Merrill Award of Entrepreneurial Excellence to the Monrovia High entrepreneurs awards, spells out great things to come next week when the Monrovia High team heads off to compete at the SkillsUSA National conference/competition in Kansas City, Missouri. The team does not doubt that they have a real shot at winning the national title next week and would like to ask for your support and positive thoughts.

As a request from the team, it is encouraged that you leave a positive comment below to boost their morale in anticipation of the national competition. Monrovia may soon be the home of a national champion team. This is just one more step in the climb to greatness.