PHOTOS: Riv-Ell Students Pitch Business Plans To Crowd of 25

Aliya Garroway says she needs $600,000 to make her idea become a reality.

The Lincoln High School senior pitched her business plan for a “high-ceilinged” indoor baseball and softball complex in Lawrence County to be called “No Off-Season” to Ellwood City business leaders, and to community college educators and administrators April 28 as one of eight students to complete the 2022-2023 Riv-Ell Entrepreneurship program.

Business-plan presentations represent the capstone project of the program available to Lincoln and Riverside seniors through a partnership among Butler County Community College, the Community College of Beaver County, the Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce and Ellwood City area businesses.

The Riv-Ell Entrepreneurship program blends classroom learning with real-world experience.

Students in 2022-2023 took courses instructed by BC3 or CCBC faculty members in introduction to entrepreneurship, the business plan, speech, marketing, financial literacy and general psychology, said Erin Cioffi, BC3’s assistant director of high school programming.

“The classes gave them the book experience,” Cioffi said. “And the field trips gave them real-world experience.”

“You can get 16 free college credits”

Students in the 2022-2023 Riv-Ell Entrepreneurship program are shown Friday, April 28, 2023, in the library of Lincoln High School in Ellwood City. Front row, from left, Jack Landis, Aliya Garroway and Noah Sye. Back row, from left, Morgan Hooker, Alyssa Donley, Paige Wearing and Hannah Mosholder. Missing from photo, Ellie Davis.

Field trips and presentations provided students with business insight from leaders of Ellwood City area organizations such as Club Hope, Core 3 Group, Ellwood City Forge, Ellwood Elderberry Essentials-Roots Health Shop, Ellwood Ice, McElwain Brothers Paint and Collision Center, Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ, Nalco Water and WXED-FM, said Sara Rectenwald, program facilitator.

“The Riv-Ell program is very special,” Raymond Santillo, former executive director of the Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce, said after the business-plan presentations. Students’ field trips to Ellwood City area organizations “makes it real. It makes it real to get into a business, get the feel of what they have to do in their daily work, the transactions and the interactions. They see the establishment first-hand. It’s the real world.”

Lauren Susan is associate dean of high school academics and dual enrollment at CCBC.

“All the foundational skills that they built into this program,” Susan said, “are just amazing.”
Financial contributions from businesses, nonprofit organizations, BC3 administrators and other individuals have funded tuition, fees and books for Riv-Ell students to earn 16 tuition-free, transferrable credits and a BC3 workplace certificate in entrepreneurship, which represents a work-ready, post-secondary academic achievement.

“You can get 16 free college credits,” Lincoln High senior Jack Landis said after presenting his idea to create a company that repairs or recycles computers, cell phones, laptops and iPads. “We’re able to get 16 free college credits and with the price of higher education, people are going into debt at alarming rates. This is a prime opportunity for us to advance our education and not have to pay for it later on.”

“Our hometown has stepped up”

Noah Sye, a senior at Lincoln High School in Ellwood City, presents his business plan as the capstone project of the 2022-2023 Riv-Ell Entrepreneurship program

Paige Wearing, a Lincoln High senior, presented her idea of a company that produces commercials, music videos and movies.

“If you would have told me a couple of years ago that I would have the opportunity like this to be able to get out 16 college credits, and that I wouldn’t have to pay for it, and in a small town like Ellwood City, I never would have believed you,” Wearing said after her presentation.

“You just don’t hear about a program like this anywhere else. It was very, very shocking whenever I heard about it.”

Financial contributors to the program have included Air Physical Fitness, Armstrong Group, James Hrabosky, Ellwood City Wolves Club, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, May Emma Hoyt Foundation, Hungarian Home, IPSCO Tubulars, Carolyn McElwain, Debra McElwain, Helen McElwain, McElwain Brothers, Dr. Nick Neupauer and Tammy Neupauer, Richard Painter, Santillo and WesBanco Bank.

“Our hometown has stepped up to do this for all of you,” said Neupauer, president of BC3, a former Ellwood City resident and a 1985 graduate of Lincoln. “You’re learning about entrepreneurship. Your generation isn’t afraid to be independent contractors and start your own businesses.

“We’re giving you this head start to go into higher education with a credential that is very important.”

Riv-Ell key, CCBC administrator says

Alyssa Donley, a senior at Lincoln High School in Ellwood City, presents her business plan as the capstone project of the 2022-2023 Riv-Ell Entrepreneurship program Friday, April 28, 2023, in the library of Lincoln High School in Ellwood City.

Hannah Mosholder presented her vision of a line of stuffed animals accompanied by fruits, vegetables and plants. Noah Sye, of a baseball version of top golf. Alyssa Donley, of a bookstore with limited-edition merchandise; and Morgan Hooker, of a bakery specializing in cookies, cakes and pies.

Garroway’s “No Off-Season” dream would include areas for strength and other training, and provide a high ceiling to accommodate team practices, she told the audience of 25.

Without a high ceiling, she said, “it’s not realistic.

“It’s team-oriented, so you can have your teams come in and practice,” Garroway said. “There can be individual training, hitting lessons, fielding lessons, strength and conditioning lessons. It can be used for multiple sports, not just baseball or softball.”

“No Off-Season” would require a $600,000 small-business loan, she said.

“I’d try to pay that off in 10 years, or a little longer,” Garroway said.

Construction of her complex would cost $250,000, she said during her presentation. Her research showed a sign would cost $8,000; initial legal fees, $1,500; utilities, $5,000 per month; and advertising, $175 a month.

Like all Riv-Ell students, Garroway analyzed her business plan’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

“Without Riv-Ell,” Susan said, “they would not have been able to do this.”

Expense would be a weakness, Garroway said. Opportunities include creating a healthier lifestyle and threats, competition from similar businesses.

A location near Ellwood City or New Castle, and the region’s appetite for sports success, would be strengths, Garroway told the audience.

“Western Pennsylvania is very well-known,” Garroway said. “There’s going to be a large market for that. We will be able to compete with teams from California or other warmer states where they are able to practice and play all year round.”

Riv-Ell’s third class includes Ellie Davis, of Lincoln. Twenty-three Lincoln and Riverside high school students have completed the entrepreneurship program, Cioffi said.