Camp Destination Innovation has had a busy first quarter!
- Destination Innovation
- May 7
- 2 min read
YEC RISE at Sedgwick County Juvenile Detention Center
We kicked off the year with an exciting pilot program: the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge: Remaining Innovation, Success, and Entrepreneurship (YEC RISE) at the Sedgwick County Juvenile Detention Center (JDF). Entrepreneurship is a proven method for reducing recidivism, and as a youth-focused organization, we were thrilled to partner with JDF to bring this vision to life.
YEC RISE was a pilot extension of the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Series hosted by Network Kansas. Over eight weeks, Camp DI and Progeny facilitated entrepreneurship fundamentals, brought in justice-impacted guest speakers, and concluded with a trade-show where nine student businesses competed.
Congratulations to our top finishers:
🥇 1st Place — $1,000 | Why Define Me? — A nonprofit mentorship program for justice-impacted youth
🥈 2nd Place — $500 | A New World — A clothing brand amplifying mental health messaging
🥉 3rd Place — $250 | Think Before You Act — A clothing brand spreading gun violence prevention awareness
9th Annual Urban Wichita Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
Alongside YEC RISE, we hosted our 9th Annual Urban Wichita Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge at the John Bardo Center at Wichita State University. Thirty students from schools across Wichita brought incredible creativity, effort, and dedication to the competition.
Congratulations to our winners:
🥇 1st Place & Best Tradeshow — $1,250 | Rainbow Haven Community Center
🥈 2nd Place — $500 | Limitless Auto Detailing
🥉 3rd Place — $250 | The EmPOWERed App
A heartfelt thank you to all of our partners, sponsors, and volunteers — none of this would have been possible without your support. Special recognition goes to Network Kansas and E-Communities for their continued investment in our competitions and our youth.
Looking Ahead: Summer 2026
Camp Destination Innovation is almost here! Our annual four-week summer camp for students ages 13–17 returns this summer with the theme "Designing the Future" — exploring how technology, design thinking, and creative problem-solving are shaping what comes next. Registration is now open!
We're also hiring interns! Interns work up to 28 hours per week from June 2–26, earning $15/hour. Interested candidates should send their resume to Lovette at Lovette@destinationinnovation.org. (See the attached intern job description for full details.)
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