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Amelia Johnston Named Winner Of 2020 Launch LaGrange County
By: Mike Stiles - Monday, August 3, 2020

LAGRANGE – After being postponed, the results of the 4th annual Launch LaGrange County Competition were announced.

The event, sponsored by the LaGrange County Economic Development Corporation, featured seven students representing Lakeland, Prairie Heights and Westview Schools. The participants pitched their business to a panel of judges earlier in the day at the LaGrange County Library Community Room. The results were announced at the LaGrange County Courthouse Gazebo.

Amelia Johnston, a Prairie Heights senior, was the program's overall winner with her non profit called GROWTH. It's an organization that was implemented for Prairie Heights Kindergarten to Second Graders, providing a sustainable food source in their homes. The pilot program distributed 200, five gallon buckets of potato plants to Prairie Heights elementary students for harvest in the early fall.

Amelia received $5,000 for business expenses or college tuition, along with scholarship offers from six area colleges.

The runner up was Isaac Rogers, who attends Westview High School. His business idea was Footsie, the odor-trapping, disease-limiting solution for notoriously smelly porta-potties. Footsie reduces the amount of times users need to touch surfaces in porta-potties, increases the overall cleanliness and reducing the chance to contract germs.

Isaac receives $2,500 for business expenses or college tuition and scholarship offers from six area colleges.

Riegling Sports Management, founded by Lakeland graduate Jayce Riegling, finished third. It's a full time representation company based out of Indianapolis. They offer many services to their athletes,but their man focus is contract negotiating, player marketing and financial advice.

Jayce received $1,000 for business expenses or college tuition and scholarship offers from six area colleges.

Launch LaGrange County was established in 2015 to provide LaGrange County youth with unique, real-world entrepreneurial experience that will promote business creation and critical skill development.

Organizers will gather in September to start planning the 2021 Launch LaGrange event.



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