Right as the competition started, Annalee Roustio and her teammates had a leg up on the other 11 teams in Friday’s MECA Challenge in Blue Springs – at least when it came to conjuring a nickname.
While all other entrepreneurial teams at the Bartow Administrative Center had six students, three each from Blue Springs and South high schools, Roustio’s team had just five overall.
“We were ‘The Pentagon,” she said. “One of our members didn’t show up.”
The day-long program, hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development and UMKC, is “an experiential learning program for students interested in innovation and entrepreneurship,” as described on the CEED website. MECA stands for “Most Entrepreneurial City in America,” referring to the Kansas City metro area, CEED co-founder Adam Arredondo said.