What started as just a scholarship has grown into an entrepreneurial program in an effort to promote young business men and women.

“I think this area has amazing talent that’s hidden,” Donald Bonk, director of Entrepreneurial Alchemy says.

Now in it’s third year the Strandquest-Simmons Scholarship hopes to showcase that hidden talent with high school seniors.  It has expanded from providing scholarship funds to one student, to allowing multiple applicants join an entrepreneurial program that gives them with real world experience in Cambria County.

“We try to introduce them to community people, leaders, or people in businesses that are already up and running, so that they could learn from them and become familiar with them,” Bonk adds about the program.

Matthew Russo won last year’s scholarship.  He is only a freshman in college, but already he’s had his work seen by millions, with help from the singer, Lorde, “I just reached out and said hey would you like to have one of my hats?  She responded and caught me off guard, so we just built a little friendship.  I just send her stuff here and there.”

“I think it really gave him confidence to take chances and do other things outside of his comfort zone,” Katrina Perkosky says about Russo.  Perkosky is a development associate for the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, which assisted in starting the scholarship and program.

Russo’s goal is to be a graphic designer and sell his own work, which he is already working on now.  Both Russo and program organizers say encouraging entrepreneurship in teens could help to save Johnstown and Cambria County.

“Any business coming into Johnstown right now would probably be the best thing that could happen around here,” Russo says.  “People see Johnstown and think it’s dying, it’s a drug town, all of this stuff, and I just want it be back on the map as something that’s coming.”

The deadline to apply for this year’s scholarship is September 29.

To apply CLICK HERE.