Youth Stories
How a KC mom and her 12-year-old co-founder are rewriting the book on entrepreneurship
Guiding young people through the ins and outs of entrepreneurship is a family affair for Tovah Tanner, a metro woman on a mission to create a Kansas City that thinks critically, holds values, and possesses life skills that build lasting wealth. “My son, Madden Tanner, is our co-founder. He’s 12 years old,” Tanner said, recalling…
Girls in ‘tough-boy’ jobs: Young welders torch outdated beads on what’s possible
Vanessa Bello and Adriana Figueroa feel a rush of adrenaline as they gear up in their welding uniforms and watch their blueprints come to life — it’s a feeling everyone deserves to experience, regardless of gender, they shared. “It’s all dark but you see this little light while welding; then when you take off your…
Sneak peek: See the vision for Travis Kelce’s ‘safe haven’ for Operation Breakthrough teens
When Operation Breakthrough’s new Ignition Lab opens in the fall, the former muffler shop on Troost Avenue is expected to offer hands-on, practical training to young people who have aged out of the early education center’s MakerCity program. Media members were offered a first look at plans for the space — powered by Chiefs Super…
Generation Changemakers: 5 ‘Next Great Idea’ pitches funded at Shawnee Mission contest
Gabby Lickteig didn’t initially think of herself as an entrepreneur, she said, though the seventh grader knew she had the potential — if she could just overcome the obstacle of an unfocused presentation. “I have a lot of ideas, but I was just bad at sharing them,” said Lickteig. “Now, I’m hoping to connect with someone…
Splitsy takes top prize in Regnier challenge, adding to emerging fintech startup’s spring bump
The Regnier Venture Creation Challenge doled out more than $65,000 in cash prizes to emerging startups this spring, culminating in Friday’s big win for an up-and-coming fintech app. “We had a great competition,” Bryan Boots, managing director of venture creation and assistant teaching professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, told Startland News. The annual…
