Coachella Valley eighth-grader wins business plan competition, earns $1,000 prize

LA QUINTA, Calif. — A Coachella Valley eighth-grader is turning an entrepreneurial dream into reality after taking first place in a valley wide business plan competition.

Henry Lopez, a student in the Desert Sands Unified School District, earned the top prize of $1,000 in a contest organized by Friends of CV Link, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting education and community engagement throughout the Coachella Valley.

The competition challenged students in grades six through 12 to develop and submit realistic, working business plans.

Lopez impressed judges with his idea for a pop-up bike repair and sales shop. The young entrepreneur said he plans to use his prize money to restore his collection of old bicycles and help launch the business.

The competition also recognized another Desert Sands student, Sienna Kartal, who earned second place and received a $500 cash prize for her business plan.

Both students were honored during a recent Desert Sands Unified School District Board of Education meeting in La Quinta.