Center celebrates young entrepreneurs.

• Author: Schwab, Robert
• Position: Attitude at Altitude - Young Americans Center for Financial Education Celebration for Young Entrepreneurs competition

LAUREN COONS MAKES ROSES OUT of ribbon for a living. Well, not exactly for her living. Lauren is 11. She is a student--in sixth grade as well as in dance--but she already has more than a year of business experience as an entrepreneur.

Her company, Life Time Roses, was one of four ventures named winners of the second annual Celebration for Young Entrepreneurs, a competition held by the Young Americans Center for Financial Education.

"I found out about the event through the Young Americans Bank," she said. "I've done a lot of other stuff, like summer camps (through the bank), and actually have two accounts there, one for my personal and one for my business. I felt very special to be there that night."

Thirty-four young entrepreneurs competed in the contest this year: from a Web site developer and a telecommunications consultant to a custom maker of handbags and a pair of brothers who started a lawn service three years ago. The center is affiliated with Young Americans Bank, founded by the late Bill Daniels. It is dedicated to the financial education of young people, not only to teach good management of personal finances, but to also offer opportunities to learn business management to promote prosperity in a free-enterprise system.

Celebration winners are paired with successful adult role models. Lauren met Dr. Patricia Gabow, CEO and medical director of Denver Health Medical Center, who urged her "to never give up," and to always try to "give back to the community." Other mentors this year were Jerry McMorris, part owner of the Colorado Rockies, Bruce Deifik, president and CEO of Denver commercial real-estate firm Integrated Properties, and Steve Schuck, chairman of The Schuck Corp., Colorado Springs.

Lauren runs the company out of her parents' house in...