Girl, 11, sells shells, snags biz-ed prize

Maia Drugmand, who just turned 11, has a big heart and a keen business sense.

She recently won a business competition for her nonprofit organization, Turtles4tots, which sells turtles and crabs she makes out of shells to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

The competition is run by the Young American Center for Financial Education in Denver. The center scours Colorado for young entrepreneurs from ages 6 to 21. A panel of business, education and entrepreneur judges select one winner and two finalists for three age categories. Maia, a student at Peak to Peak Charter School in Lafayette, won in the 6 to 11 age group.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Exploring & expressing grief

Support groups and events, as well as creative therapies and professional counseling, are all ways in which Pathways supports individuals dealing with grief and loss.

Winners, honored Sept. 6, received $1,000 and will be paired with a mentor — a business person to whom they will look for advice and guidance. Maia will be mentored by Nancy Phillips, co-founder of Viawest Inc.

So far, Turtles4tots has raised more than $7,000 and sponsored a little girl’s wish. She is working on funding a second wish, said Maia’s father, Jeff Drugmand, who is an owner and partner of Colorado Seamless Gutters Inc. in Lafayette.