Student ‘Shark Tank’ winners from 2025 went on to win the
SkillsUSA State Entrepreneurship Championship!
Eagle River, WI., May 12, 2026…. The Vilas County Economic Development Corporation (VCEDC) and the Northland Pines School District (NPSD) are proud to host their 2nd Annual Entrepreneurship Education Program, where students learn how to turn ideas into business plans and build the skills to become entrepreneurs that drive future economic growth.
Launched in February 2025, this year’s program includes a week-long educational unit that includes classroom instruction from guest business speakers, hands-on business formation, and a “Shark Tank” style event for students to receive constructive feedback on their business plans. The Shark Tank event will be held on May 19th from 8:30 – 10:30 am at Northland Pines High School-Atrium and Auditorium.
The topics covered during the week-long classroom instruction May 11-15th include Day 1 Business Idea Generation/Problem Solving; Day 2 Market Research; Day 3 Leadership Development; Day 4 Business Law; and Day 5 Finances. The purpose of the program is to inspire the next generation of Vilas County small business owners and entrepreneurs, provide them with practical knowledge about developing business plans and starting businesses, and, in the long term, encourage more young people to stay in Vilas County and become small business owners.
This year, 25 groups of business students totaling over 80 students across seven business classes will display their business plans on poster boards in the atrium. Fellow students, teachers, invited guests will vote for their favorite business idea and plan. Subsequently, four groups will be selected to present their plans in the auditorium in front of a panel of judges composed of local and regional business experts. The judges will then announce the top business plan, with each of the four presentations being recognized.
The VCEDC will present a check to Northland Pines School District leadership in the amount of $1,000 for student scholarships. The funding aims to offer tangible incentives for students to envision and plan their own small businesses.
“This program sparks new ideas, builds business connections, and shows students that entrepreneurship is within reach,” said Kathy Schmitz, Executive Director of VCEDC. “Students gain confidence, practical skills, and the guidance to turn an idea into a real business plan. And when they’re ready, they know we have a welcoming environment for business with the resources they need. The results speak for themselves—our 2025 Shark Tank winners went on to win the SkillsUSA State Entrepreneurship Championship.”
“Each year, this partnership with VCEDC gives our students a deeper, more authentic look at what it really takes to be an entrepreneur,” said Jake Richards, Business Education Teacher at Northland Pines. “Working directly with business professionals helps them understand the legal, financial, marketing, and leadership questions that come with owning a business. You can see their confidence grow as they start turning ideas into possibilities and realize, ‘I can actually do this.’ That transformation is what makes this program so powerful.”
Each day Monday – Friday a different business expert speaks to students in the classroom setting as follows:
- Andrea Gretzinger, Business Consultant, Wisconsin Small Business Development Center-UW Stevens Point; & Entrepreneur
- Kathy Schmitz, Executive Director, VCEDC
- Jake Richards, Business Education Teacher, NPSD
- Erin McCormick, Vice President, Peoples State Bank; & VCEDC Board Member
- William Keeler, Attorney, Crivello, Nichols & Hall, S.C.; & VCEDC Board Member
- Patty Krarup, Retired Owner of a Financial Services Firm; & VCEDC Board Member
At the Shark Tank event on May 19th, the panel of four judges will be composed of:
- Troy Durkee, Center Director, Wisconsin Small Business Development Center- UW Stevens Point;
- Erin McCormick, Vice President, Peoples State Bank; & VCEDC Board Member;
- William Keeler, Attorney, Crivello, Nichols & Hall, S.C.; & VCEDC Board Member; and,
- Molly Gruett, Business Management Instructor, Nicolet College.
