The Young Creators Camp is entering its inaugural year, with registration now open for students entering sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. The program begins June 10 and runs through July 11, meeting on Wednesday mornings. Built to introduce students to entrepreneurship at an earlier age, the camp focuses not only on business fundamentals but also on essential life and leadership skills.
Throughout the program, students will explore communication, teamwork, and financial literacy while working through the process of building a business plan. The camp offers a hands-on approach, giving participants the option to develop their own business idea by the end of the program. Along the way, they will engage with local business leaders, community members, and potential mentors, including high school students and young professionals.
The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Whiteside Area Career Center, the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Sauk Valley Community College, and the University of Illinois Extension 4-H program. Organizers emphasize that the goal is to provide students with valuable life skills while also introducing entrepreneurship as a potential pathway, something not always emphasized in traditional school settings.
Each week, participants will focus on different elements of a business plan while building confidence in areas such as public speaking, networking, and budgeting. The program also aims to help students form early connections within their community, creating opportunities that could benefit them throughout high school, college, and beyond.
The camp will conclude with a public pop-up event on July 11 during the City of Sterling’s Chalk the Walk at the Grandon Civic Center. At this event, students will showcase their businesses through individual booths, offering products or services they have developed during the program. The community is encouraged to attend, support the students, and see firsthand the results of their work.
Organizers hope the Young Creators Camp becomes a foundational step in a larger pipeline, encouraging students to pursue additional opportunities such as the CEO program and other leadership initiatives in the area. By introducing entrepreneurship at a younger age, the program aims to foster creativity, build confidence, and strengthen the future of local communities.
Watts highlights the value of stepping outside of one’s comfort zone, noting that programs like this can shape leadership abilities and open doors regardless of career path. The Young Creators Camp is positioned not only as a business program but as an opportunity for personal growth, helping students discover their interests, build relationships, and gain real-world experience.
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