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Eleven-year-old Winter Reinholt received the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Wednesday.
Nora Christiansen, Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce events coordinator, said the award comes from the Student Market the Chamber put on in July and one of the students is picked for the award. There were four judges that walked around the Student Market and they had a rubric they followed. The judges asked questions of students who wanted to participate. The Chamber averaged out the scores from the judges and found the highest average score for the award.
“We wanted to really make sure that these kids were passionate about what they were doing and that these were their ideas and they were driving the plan for their business and what they were doing,” Christiansen said. “This award, we think is important because we always want to encourage our young people to do exciting new things and hopefully step outside their comfort zone and this is just another way to do that.”
Reinholt sold jewelry like earrings, bracelets and scarf necklaces at the Student Market. She’s homeschooled and did a unit about precolonial American history and learned about the Indigenous peoples. One of her assignments was to make something they would have made. She chose beadcraft and she loved the bright colors and natural stones they used.
“I got some stuff and started working on this project and I loved it, so I started a business,” Reinholt said, adding her business is called The Merchant’s Pearl.
She participated in the Student Market because she wanted another way to sell her items.
“It was really good option for me and I really enjoyed it,” she stated.
Winter said when she was told she was receiving the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, she was very excited and felt very honored.
She said her future plans are to sell her items at other businesses. She will also start selling her items at Lakeland Art Gallery.
Her mom, Lindsay, said if people are interested in buying Winter’s items, going to the gallery would be the best way to do that. Another option is to email lindsay.reinholt@gmail.com.
