Antonio Montoya founded Rocket Hatch. CONTRIBUTED

MADISON COUNTY – Madison County Students can enter “24Hour Generator,” a team-building event that offers cash prizes.

24Hour Generator is a challenge for high school pupils to develop vision, enthusiasm and tenacity needed to become entrepreneurs. Rocket Hatch produced the event with The Village of Promise, which works to eradicate generational poverty in targeted neighborhoods.

Registration deadline is Jan. 15. To participate, students must register at generatorhsv.org/application.

Competition dates are March 11-12. An additional team-building exercise is set for March 4.

“The 24Hour Generator program fills a gap in our community where we have fantastic youth development programs in the arts, sciences and sports,” Rocket Hatch founder Antonio Montoya said. “To create a sustainable entrepreneurial culture, we need to start early introducing students to the principles of business.”

In addition, 24Hour Generator will give youth the opportunity to interact with successful entrepreneurs and community leaders.

“Drawing from a diverse group of students, 24Hour Generator is a platform for young minds to combine their talents while working to solve real problems in business and the community,” Montoya said. “Participants will leave with the relationships, insights and tools needed to move ideas into action.”

Bobby Bradley, founder of The Village of Promise, said 24Hour Generator will allow students to apply knowledge they have gained in school to a business challenge and create a practical solution. “This will be an awesome opportunity for local students to interact with business leaders in a short, intense entrepreneurship experience,” Bradley said.

In the Reverse Pitch segment, teams of students will have a facilitator and mentor to guide the idea-generation process. Each team will receive an issue that a local organization is facing and work together to devise a practical solution.

In the Generate segment, teams work through the night and into the following day developing workable strategies. For the Pitch component, teams have three minutes each to pitch their ideas to the audience and a panel of judges.

Winning teams will receive cash prizes, Montoya said.

For more information, visit generatorhsv.org/get-involved.