Teen entrepreneurs take national title by creating a reusable bamboo straw kit, as part of their sustainable lifestyle brand company
Houston, Texas — On Thursday, June 18, Junior Achievement USA® (JA) named the teen entrepreneurs who created the student-run start-up EVO (Elkins Very Own) from Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas as winners of the 2020 JA Company of the Year. The team was selected from among 15 competing student companies representing JA operations across the country.
In addition to winning the JA Company of the Year title, the Houston-based five teens representing the first-place student company were each awarded a $2,500 JA Company of the Year Scholarship. The five students representing the second-place teams were awarded with $1,000 scholarships and $500 scholarships were given to each of the five students representing the third-place team.
“EVO is so honored to be recognized for not only our core product ThreEVO’s innovation, but our business’ hard work and dedication in creating a more sustainable future. It is rewarding to know that people are noticing both our environmental and social impact, as well as our team’s deep passion for entrepreneurship and sustainability. A big thank you to the Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas family for their constant support and belief in empowering young entrepreneurs like us,” said Alyssa Le, the CEO of EVO.
EVO, or Elkins Very Own, is a student-led reusable bamboo straw company that aims to empower individualism, hard work and independence within young entrepreneurs in their journey to challenge plastic consumption and encourage environmentally healthy habits. EVO’s primary product is “ThreEVO”- three custom cut bamboo straws and a bristle brush cleaner enclosed in a biodegradable wheat case. They also sell complimentary products such as a cleaning solution and their “Save the Earth” t-shirts to enhance their lifestyle brand identity focused on making eco-friendly easy and accessible.
The annual JA Company of the Year Competition is a contest of business skills, ingenuity and innovation that focuses on the accomplishments of U.S. JA Company Program ® students, ages 15-18. Reaching more than 10,000 U.S. students during the 2019-20 school year creating nearly 500 start-ups, JA Company Program gives teens the skills to start and run their own businesses under the mentorship of a local business volunteer.
“I’m proud that EVO has been recognized as JA Company of the Year. I have watched these students throughout the year as they started and grew their business. They truly demonstrate how fostering entrepreneurship can help spur economic growth through innovation and job creation,” said Tania Daniel, the Senior Director for Entrepreneurship Initiatives.
The student companies competing at the JA NSLS virtual event were assessed on their financial performance, individual team members’ personal and professional development, on a self-produced commercial about their product or service, on their team’s live virtual presentation to a panel of business leaders, and on their company’s performance.
About Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas
Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas is the greater Houston area’s largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network of nearly 13,000 role models, JA of Southeast Texas provides in-school and after-school programs for students in grades K-12 which focus on entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. Today, JA of Southeast Texas anticipates reaching 160,000 students in more than 950 schools this school year. For more information, visit www.jahouston.org.
About Junior Achievement USA® (JA)
Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches nearly 4.8 million students per year in 106 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.2 million students served by operations in 100 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.