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High school students interested in exploring careers in business have until May 21 [MONDAY] to apply for a one-of-a-kind summer camp filled with noted business and government leaders guiding them as they develop their own “companies.”

Oklahoma Business Week will be held July 8-13 [SUNDAY-FRIDAY] at East Central University in Ada for students currently in the 10th, 11th or 12th grades. All programs are designed to engage teens in hands-on, experiential learning. In addition to gaining a unique perspective into the business world, they have a chance to win laptop computers and scholarships to ECU.

Students accepted for the camp will be divided into teams to form companies, compete in a business simulation contest and hear presentations as they learn to make daily business decisions.

ECU graduate Alan Marcum, executive vice president for administration at Devon Energy, will advise the students throughout the week. Business executives and ECU graduates selected to speak include Michael Prince, COO of Guess Incorporated; Brad Fenton, owner of Fenton Motor Groups; Craig Sheef, CEO and president of Texas Security Bank; B.I. Bridgwater, retired AT&T executive and consultant; and Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby. Other graduates participating are state Sen. Susan Paddack and ECU President John Hargrave.

Also providing their expertise are Rhett Laubauch, a leadership expert and founder/operator of YourNextSpeaker; Mary Melon, publisher of the Journal Record newspaper; Congressman Tom Cole; and state Rep. Lisa Johnson Billy.

It won’t be all work for the students, who will stay in ECU residence halls. They will play Survivor games with Dr. Scout Cloud Lee, a finalist on the 2004 CBS show Survivor: Vanuatu. She is the CEO of Vision Us Inc., a motivational speaker and corporate training consultant. Also planned for students are bowling, golf and laser tag as well as a cookout, swimming and volleyball at Ada’s Wintersmith Park and a dinner in a local company’s board room followed by a movie at the McSwain Theater.

The cost for the camp, including all meals and housing, is $150 per student.

“The OBW camp is valued at more than $750, but because of our generous supporters we are able to cover most expenses,” said Stacey Bolin, camp director and ECU instructor of computer science and instructor of business administration. Full scholarships are available to students with financial need.

For a printable brochure or an application, visit www.okbusweek.com. For more information, contact Bolin at info@okbusweek.comsbolin@ecok.edu or 580-559-5596, or Wendell Godwin, dean of ECU’s School of Business, at wgodwin@ecok.edu or 580-559-5274.

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