Prosser Career Education Center Entrepreneurship Program

Graduating Seniors, our two years together have now come to an end. I’m always honored to meet new students and assist in their development. This is my passion! As an educator, I aim to challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and to always give your best. A portion of my legacy as an educator continues in what you do with your life and the legacy you build for your own life and your future family. Always remember, as we discussed on the first day of class two years ago:

-Begin with the end in mind
-Drive your own bus to the dream life you want to live
-The small stuff matters - if you can do the small stuff... you've got the big stuff

Thank you for all your efforts over the past two years (360 class days, 900 hours, 54,000 minutes, 3,240,000 seconds). If you remember the ribbon-of-life activity we did in your first year, it's even less now!!! Go.......make the world a better place and pay it forward!!!!

Three things I want you to always remember to be successful in life (as borrowed from Les Brown):

1) Change your mindset:
You don't get what you want in life; you get what you are.
2) OQP - Only Quality People:
Practice surrounding yourself with "only quality people." You earn between $2-$3K per year of your closest friends.
3) Develop your communication skills:
"Once you open your mouth, you tell the world who you are!"

Prosser Career Education Center Prosser Alumni Association STARTedUp Foundation Les Brown

Congrats, Mya Lewis, for being one of our 2026 Promising Entrepreneur Scholarship recipients. All the best in your future endeavors at Indiana University Southeast. Well deserved!!! Thank you, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Partners Realty, Parks & Weisberg Realtors, for sponsoring this scholarship!!!
Prosser Career Education Center Prosser Alumni Association STARTedUp Foundation

Congrats, Blake Lortie, for being one of our 2026 Promising Entrepreneur Scholarship recipients. All the best in your future endeavors at Ball State University. Well deserved!!! Thank you, First Harrison Bank, for sponsoring this scholarship!!!
Prosser Career Education Center Prosser Alumni Association STARTedUp Foundation

Congrats, Jeanine Sharp, for being one of our 2026 Promising Entrepreneur Scholarship recipients. All the best in your future endeavors at Kentucky Wesleyan College. Well deserved!!! Thank you, First Harrison Bank, for sponsoring this scholarship!!!
Prosser Career Education Center Prosser Alumni Association STARTedUp Foundation

The Prosser Alumni Association recently presented $130,000 in scholarship funds to 322 students in the Prosser Completing Class of 2026. Recipients for our program are:

-Aliyaha Cox
-Ayush Patel
-Blake Lortie
-Brady Fox
-Braxton Abram
-Brooklin Hornocker
-Carson Lawyer
-Charles Stites
-Chloe Puckett
-Colson Compton
-Emmanuel Lopez
-Ezra Rager
-Harrison Wade
-Isaac Campbell
-Jeanine Sharp
-Kaden Ashley
-Madison Moore
-Mya Lewis
-Sydney Hodges
-Isabella Taylor

Prosser Career Education Center STARTedUp Foundation

Had the honor of having the following graduates share with our class:

Ethan Thomas
Hannah Peine
Zach Clark
Meg Marinc
Tyson Oliver
Mason Carter

These students are tremendous representatives of Prosser. I appreciate their heart and passion for serving others and improving the world. For educators, our students will always be integral to our lives and to the legacy we are building. I'm honored and blessed to know each of these fantastic young adults. The future is in very capable and caring hands.

Takeaways:
-You can have a lot of success if you work hard
-You don’t have to have a college degree or education in the retail world
-Prosser is valuable and profitable
-Step back a little when you’re going through something
-You learn a lot more out of profit than in regular school
-Make sure to stay on top of your assignments
-Focus on your work
-Take all the opportunities you have
-Bigger schools push you to meet new people
-Get to know people in your class
-Notice what Prosser can do for you
-Get an internship you can relate to
-Find something that can help you
-Mr.Hyde is setting us up well
-Have options
-Don’t waste your internship
-Internships always get brought up in job interviews
-Have a lot of experience
-The first day of classes is important
-You have to hold yourself accountable
-Enjoy school
-You can choose different paths
-Failure can be hard to digest
-Experience can help you more in the long run
-A business can be so time-consuming
-The people aspect of your life can be more important
-Your life shouldn’t be all about work
-Leadership is a good role if you don’t want to own your own business
-There is so much value and real-world experience in a real job
-You can learn a lot from people and experiences
-Being in the real world is invaluable
-Adversity will come your way, so know how to handle it
-Keep an open mind because there is a lot of change
-There are so many different things within the business world
-Networking is the most important thing
-Keep in touch with your connections
-Uncertainty can be stressful, but it can be okay
-Adapting to college can be hard
-There are so many different ways to meet people
-Be open-minded
-College can be a great choice
-Time management is very important
-Stay focused on college
-Remind yourself why you are there
-Your education should come before all of the distractions
-You have 4 years to experience college, so don’t really think about distractions a lot
-Be mindful of your college scheduling
-Make sure to think about college, and think about your scheduling
-Make sure you don’t overload yourself
-Figure out your professor
-Be FAT: Faithful, Available, and Teachable
-Be a hard worker
-It is easy to distinguish yourself by how you show up every day
-Put your name out there
-AI will help you a lot
-Be careful with AI
-Use office hours or go to tutors
-Find a healthy balance with your schedule
-It is important to be locked in for your classes
-Don’t wish school away since it goes by so quick
-The only thing you are looking forward to is working a lot
-Save as much as you can for a down payment
-A big down payment on a house is important
-Have enough money saved for an emergency
-Enjoy it and don’t stress about your future
-Hang out with your friends
-Spend as much time with your friends
-Don’t stress yourself out
-Don’t wish school away
-Everything will work out
-We are in charge of our own bus and life
-Stay in the driver's seat
-Your actions now will set you up for the future
-Work on your perspective
-Some things that matter now don’t matter in the future
-Making a lot of money does not matter
-Your life makes an impact on the people around you
-Think about what is really going to matter

Prosser Career Education Center Prosser Alumni Association STARTedUp Foundation

Our class was recently honored to celebrate with Hailee Reynolds at her graduation from Indiana University Southeast. Hailee graduated from our program a few years ago. She earned her degree in Elementary Education and already has a job to begin teaching in the Fall. Hailee is a first-generation college graduate. She would always come to our class at Prosser with a smile and a heart's desire to serve others. She is an exceptional role model for her younger sister (whom she always lovingly talked about and doted on during our time together), her colleagues, and those with whom she will make a lifelong impact in her calling as an educator.

Prosser Career Education Center Prosser Alumni Association STARTedUp Foundation

Congratulations to our National Technical Honor Society inductees for 2026:

-Aliyaha Cox
-Jeanine Sharp
-Jaela Messina
-Brooklin Hornocker
-Mya Lewis
-Sydney Hodges
-Lillie Smitson
-Madison Moore
-Mya Lewis
-Chloe Puckett
-Ayush Patel
-Isaac Campbell
-Ezra Rager

Prosser Career Education Center Prosser Alumni Association STARTedUp Foundation