By Zach Spicer
Congratulations to Brownstown Central High School senior Kassidy Wischmeier, winner of the 2026 Maverick Challenge Jackson County.
She was among 11 finalists in the high school business plan competition giving oral presentations to a panel of four judges March 4 at the Community Foundation of Jackson County in Seymour.
Her business plan is for GreenPath Learning, which offers greenhouses, supplies and curriculum for schools.
For winning the competition, Wischmeier will receive $2,500. Sponsors of the program are JCIDC Workforce Partnership, Brownstown Ewing Main Street, Seymour Main Street and the Jackson County Chamber. JCBank is the funding partner.
Overall, $7,000 was up for grabs for the finalists. Coming in second place and winning $1,500 is Seymour High School’s Brooklyn Howell with her business plan for Bridge Within. Placing third and receiving a total of $750 are Brownstown Central High School’s Kaylee Steward, Kayla Bowman and Eulah Beavers for BetterChews.
There was a tie for fourth place between Seymour High School’s Lanie Booher with Glam On the Go and Brownstown Central High School’s Haleigh Drake with Subber Bowl. Both will receive $425.
There also was a tie for fifth place. Medora High School’s Bobby Baughman and Angel Chan-Cux with Sensus by BBB and Seymour High School’s Lydia Holle and Juana Nicolas with Fun Delivery each will receive $300 total.
Brownstown Central High School’s Veronica Law with Artist’s Alley earned honorable mention and $200, while Crothersville High School’s Isaac Spencer and Cooper Brown with S & R Drones, Seymour High School’s Isrrael Luna and Hayato Hattori with Lunar Lanes and Brownstown Central High School’s Reece Osborne and Gabriel Davers with SportiBotics each will receive participation awards valued at $200 total.
Initially, there were 56 teams from Brownstown Central, Crothersville, Medora and Seymour high schools in the competition. Twenty-two of them turned in a business plan and a video, and local business volunteers judged those and narrowed them down to the finalists.
Wischmeier will compete in the local SPARK Tank competition in the fall with the chance to win up to $10,000.
Students also could enter the STARTed Up Foundation’s Innovate Within, which has a regional competition in the spring and finals in June, where up to $25,000 can be won to grow their businesses.
Maverick Challenge began in 2008 in Bartholomew County, and Jackson County joined the program in 2011. Three years ago, Bartholomew County ended the program, but Jackson County leaders kept it going in the county with a partnership between the four sponsors and the funding partner.