Lathrop High School at 647 Spartan Way on Saturday, May 16, will host the second annual Young Entrepreneurs Competition, an MYF Community Advocacy Project sponsored by Manteca Youth Focus (MYF).
Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and admission is free. The event is open to the entire community.
Manteca Youth Focus (MYF) is a non-profit organization that provides educational scholarship, leadership training, and volunteer service opportunities to children, teens and young adults from the greater Manteca community.
The Young Entrepreneurs Competition is one of the ways MYF students put that mission into action — by identifying a community need, building partnerships, and doing something about it.
This year, the project is led by two MYF students.
Amey Karanjkar, a fifth-grade student at Veritas Elementary School and member of the MYF All-Star Student Service Team, is heading up the Young Division for participants ages 12 and under.
Shaurya Khairmode, a junior at Sierra High School and current MYF Winter Fest Ambassador, is leading the Upper Division for participants ages 13 and up.
Both young men are also candidates in the upcoming MYF Scholarship Competition, where they are vying for the title of City Ambassador in their respective age divisions.
The competition invites young entrepreneurs to create, display, and sell their own products and services, with a Young Division for ages 12 and under and an Upper Division for ages 13 and up. Visitors can expect to browse booths featuring hand-painted stones, organic baked goods, custom apparel, 3D-printed creations, and more.
A panel of judges will evaluate each booth on creativity, business pitch, booth presentation, customer experience, and pricing strategy. Special prizes will be awarded to top sellers in each division, and 10 percent of all sales will be donated to a non-profit organization.
For Amey and Shaurya, the goal goes beyond the competition itself. They want to give young people the confidence to take risks, pitch their ideas, and stand proudly behind what they have built.
Every visitor who walks the aisles, asks a question about a product, or simply offers an encouraging word contributes to that experience. Families, neighbors, and friends from across the Manteca-Lathrop area are warmly invited to come out, shop the booths, and cheer these young entrepreneurs on.
“We want to build the mindset of creating something of our own — to give young minds the confidence to take risks, talk to strangers and judges, and stand proudly behind their ideas.,” the two organizers indicated.
The Young Entrepreneurs Competition shares the day with the Math Kangaroo State Award Ceremony, organized by Ravikirin Karanjkar, which is expected to bring nearly 200 of California’s Top-10 national Math Kangaroo winners and their families to Lathrop.
Together, the two events turn Lathrop High School into a single-day celebration of the region’s young talent in entrepreneurship and mathematics.
Adding to the excitement, Jasmine Wu, Miss California’s Teen, will be in attendance as a VIP guest.
Wu will perform during the Math Kangaroo State Award Ceremony and is expected to visit Young Entrepreneurs Competition booths throughout the day. Her presence underscores the community spirit behind an event that brings together achievement, creativity, and encouragement for young people from across the region.
There is still space available in the Upper Division for young entrepreneurs ages 13 and up who would like to register and compete. The registration fee is $30. To sign up, visit submit.jotform.com/261121280580043.
Attendance for visitors is free and open to all.
