PORT TOWNSEND – Representing one of the biggest student-business success stories ever to come out of Jefferson County, the education and business partnership that sponsors Big Quil Enterprises has won a $100,000 award.
The Northwest Area Foundation announced Feb. 2 that the Jefferson County towns of Brinnon and Quilcene won its “Great Strides Award” and the $100,000 grant intended to help the student-based Big Quil Enterprises prepare young people for living-wage jobs and community success.
Details are yet to be worked out, but the money is intended to support Big Quil Enterprises, an official 4-H club that is part of a partnership project among Washington State University Cooperative Extension, the Quilcene School District, and Taylor Shellfish Farms.
“The sustainability of this project is really important as a model of youth entrepreneurship,” said Pam Roberts, 4-H coordinator for Jefferson County. “Big Quil Enterprises has got to become a profit-making venture at some point. They’re not there yet, but I think the Northwest Area Foundation sees the potential for it to get there, and that’s why they are investing the funds.”
“The award money will allow us to continue our work building a youth-directed economic engine in South Jefferson County,” said Joe Baisch, co- coordinator of Quilcene/Brinnon Connecting Schools and Communities.
For the full article from the Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader, see
http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=17075&TM=53494.8
