Budding businessman and politician Juliun Kinsey has a plan for his future, and that plan is already earning him national recognition.

Kinsey, a 15-year-old sophomore in Loften High School’s Marketing Education program, is one of just 30 students worldwide to be named a Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). He was recognized for the business plan he developed for ‘Eagle Pro Apparel,’ a business that will sell uniforms and other ‘spirit gear’ to students at Loften. Kinsey says the business will  capitalize on the growing number of sports programs available at Loften.

“With an increase in sports we should also see an increase in school spirit,” said Kinsey. “I saw this as an opportunity and I wanted to take advantage of it.”

Hundreds of students nationally and internationally submitted business plans to NFTE that addressed such issues as marketing strategies, projected income, return on investment and tax liabilities. The best plans were chosen by a committee of volunteer business executives and NFTE staff members.

“It’s a great honor to be chosen,” said Connie Jones, NFTE’s director of marketing and communications. “It’s very meaningful that these students stood out from the crowd for the quality of their business plans.”

Another Loften student, senior Heather Sinclair, was named a runner up in the NFTE competition for her plan to develop a scrapbooking business. That recognition has earned her a $100 cash award from the organization.

As a Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Kinsey will be going on an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City for the NFTE’s annual gala celebration in April. He’ll have an opportunity to present his plan to the influential business leaders who will be attending the celebration and will take home a $500 check to help get his business off the ground. Both before and after the trip, he and his teacher Barbara Martin will visit with local organizations they hope will be interested in investing in ‘Eagle Pro Apparel.’ Martin says she’s confident Kinsey will be able to sell his plan.

“Juliun is very motivated,” she said. “He knows what he wants and has a very clear idea of how to go after it.”

Kinsey, who is the president of Loften’s DECA Club (Distributed Education Clubs of America) and is on the school’s track, cross country and wrestling teams, says that in addition to running his own business, he’d like to teach business education one day. He’s also interested in a political career. He credits Loften and the Marketing Education program for the progress he’s already made toward his goals.

“It’s given me so many leadership opportunities in activities that really interest me,” he said. “After I leave this program, I think I’ll be prepared to do anything I want.”