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More than a year ago, the University of North Georgia's (¹û¶³´«Ã½) Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation devised a competition to help Forsyth County high school students flex their entrepreneurial muscles while being coached by ¹û¶³´«Ã½ students.

Though the format has changed, the mission remains the same for the innovate¹û¶³´«Ã½ High School Pitch Challenge. This year's event will be held virtually at 6 p.m. Feb. 16 and those who would like to watch the free event should . The teams and judges will each be in their own separate locations and video-conference in for the event.

"We are excited to host this pitch challenge for the second year," Dr. Mary Gowan, dean of ¹û¶³´«Ã½'s Mike Cottrell College of Business (MCCB), said. "In the MCCB, engagement with the community is very important. This event provides an opportunity for us to engage with the community while developing future entrepreneurs."

A $1.45 million Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities (WORC) grant from the supports this event and opens the door for ¹û¶³´«Ã½ to expand its entrepreneurial efforts into the Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer and Lumpkin county school systems and Gainesville City School System. Dr. Ruben Boling, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the MCCB, is grateful for the opportunity.

"We want to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit and capability within our region," Boling said. "We're starting at the high school level."

Each of Forsyth County's seven public high schools will have a team in the 2021 competition. This year's event includes mentorship for the students from industry professionals, several of whom are ¹û¶³´«Ã½ alumni who benefited from the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation while at ¹û¶³´«Ã½.

Dr. Valery Lowe, director of , said students and teachers started asking about this year's event months ago. She appreciates the passion at the high school level and from ¹û¶³´«Ã½.

"We hope it becomes a part of what we do and something our students look forward to every year," Lowe said. "We appreciate ¹û¶³´«Ã½ bringing it to the high school level. I think it's definitely going to take off."

Bobbi Larson, director of economic development and community engagement at ¹û¶³´«Ã½, said it is exciting to know other school systems will be able to take part in the competition in future years thanks to the WORC grant.

"We saw the chance to enhance the program and expand it to other communities in our service area," Larson said. "Increasing youth entrepreneurship education is one way we can grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region."

April Sledge, WORC grant program coordinator, said the grant also helps ¹û¶³´«Ã½ convert some of its entrepreneurship curriculum to K-12 education materials that will help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset and the professional skills desired by employers.

"The competition is the first step in the grant," Sledge said. "We're really excited to get started."