The first group of students participating in the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative of Bermuda BizCamp presented their business plans to a panel of judges last Friday.

The winner of this year's Biz Camp was Milton Hill. He wrote a business plan on making doggy biscuits and called his company Doggy Bag Biscuits. Director of Boston's Institute for Youth Enterprise, John Mahoney said: "Milton's idea was something that he could do right away.

Milton and his grandmother would make biscuits together and the dog always liked them, so they decided to cook them a little longer and use different flavours. Mr. Mahoney said of the other two finalists: "Vanessa Bean had an idea for decorating teenager's bedrooms and Nhoj-Trebor Steede had a business called G-Clef Enterprises."

He said: "It's not magic and it's not above children to start a business."

Students wrote and presented business plans and prizes were awarded to the top three plans. The winners received new cell phones from CellularOne.

The second group will have its turn tomorrow, August 16.

Leading business people have been conducting lectures and making presentations to the students. They include Troy Symonds of Fort Knox, Marisa Hall and Nigel Hickson off the Ministry of Telecommunications and E-Commerce, April Crichlow of the Bank of Bermuda, Jenn Osmond of RB&K Advertising, Elizabeth Tee of Troncossi Public Relations, John Narraway of CellularOne and Jorgen Claussen of Cable and Wireless.

E-Commerce and technology have a central place in the programme but students are also learning about other important topics related to entrepreneurship. These include types of businesses and financial statements, banking and venture capital, identifying business opportunities and marketing and advertising. The curriculum is based on the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE).

The BizCamp results are due to a partnership between the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative of Bermuda, the Ministry of Telecommunications and E-Commerce and the local business community.

Mr. Mahoney helped develop the concept in Bermuda following the successful pilot programme, which took place in August 2000. He has repeatedly expressed his pleasure with the calibre of Bermudian students who come to the programme. They complete the programme in one week whereas their American counterparts spend a school semester.

Mr. Mahoney said: "The Ministry of Education are planning to offer entrepreneurial classes to Middle School students in M3."

Minister of Telecommunications and Ecommerce, Renee Webbe congratulated all the students.

Last week David Lang, spokesperson for Bank of Bermuda Foundation, the lead sponsor of the event, said: "It gives us great pleasure to see the business people of tomorrow already on the road to success."