The Marion County Development Commission will begin accepting nominations for their second annual YEA! awards in January.

YEA!, which stands for Young Entrepreneur Awards, is a program designed to highlight area students throughout the county that are making an impact locally as entrepreneurs. The awards are divided into two groups, with one for high school students in grades 9-12 and another group for students in fifth through eighth grade. Those nominated for the awards must be a full-time student and live in Marion County. Carla Eysink, Executive Director of Marion County Development, encourages all county residents to nominate students and celebrate their entrepreneurial spirit.

“So, if you know of a young student that is doing things, whether it’s unique art that they’re selling or other talents that they’re utilizing in a business kind of way, please go and nominate them. We will have the nomination form open in January, so you have to wait just a little bit, but you can go on and nominate a student. Anyone can nominate them, it can be their parents, it can be a teacher, but certainly an exciting opportunity to recognize those students and to celebrate those kids that think entrepreneurially. ”

Hear more from Carla Eysink on an upcoming In Touch with South Central Iowa.