Austin Grohmann is the son of Freddie and Leslie
Grohmann. He is the SR Vice President of is the Randolph
County startUP Program. A senior at Red Bud High School, he is
a part of the golf and basketball teams. Austin’s goals for golf are
to make All-Conference and advance to state. He is also a
member of the NHS, FCA, and Student Council, and is the
president of the Red Bud FFA Chapter. Austin is employed at
Cedar Ridge Farms, a worldwide swine farm run by his father
and 5 uncles. He is also an owner of Lakeside Farms and he
hopes to gain many aspects about business to help him with the
goat farm. Austin has enlisted into the United States Marine
Corps. “I will learn to work hard through startUP which will
help me achieve my goals in golf and basketball.”
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Faith Sroka is a senior at Sparta High School. She is the
Randolph County startUP Secretary.  Her parents are Wes
and Sherri Sroka.   While attending high school, Faith has
been a part of Volleyball, Softball, Student Council, Math
Club, and National Honor Society.  After high school, Faith
plans to attend college and major in Sports Management.
“StartUp will enable me to pursue my goals by learning
different techniques of business and broadening my
relations with others around the community.”

​Owen Fahey is a Senior at Red Bud High School who “loves
everything technology”. Owen is the son of Vickie and John
Fahey. When he graduates from high school this fall, he
plans to go to a trade school to learn how to be an IT guy. He
is very active in the school’s broadcasting club and Future
Business Leaders of America. He has gone to FBLA
Nationals and has placed in the top 10 multiple times at
state-level competitions.  Owen believes “startUP will help
him get a grip on the financial side of a company”.

Kyron Penny is the son of Tara Penny and David Stamps. He
enjoys working for Medstar Ambulance and “volunteering time to the tremendous organizations I’m a part of,” including Sparta Fire Department Explorer Post #332, Southern Illinois Substance Abuse Alliance, Teen Court of Southern Illinois: Monroe-Randolph Counties, Illinois 4-H State Youth Leadership Team, and a host of others. Kyron plays football at Sparta High School. His plan after high school is to obtain emergency medical service certifications, fire service certifications, and ultimately a doctoral degree in criminology with a minor in computer, communication, or electrical engineering. “Randolph County startUP will sustain me
in having a wider range of contacts, expansion in my
communication, and objectives that are completed. I’ll expect more from myself and my team of classmates so we all succeed and exceed.”

Ella Trask is a Senior at Red Bud High School. Her parents are
Ric Trask and Angie Hitzemann-Trask. She is involved in the Red H.S. Broadcasting Club. Ella likes to be around the dogs in her house. This inspired her to want to help other animals like them, who are in the need of aid. Although she doesn’t have the exact details on what she wants to do in her future business, when she graduates from high school in 2021,
she plans to go to veterinary school. Ella knows “she would like to do something for animals.” She believes startUp will help her future because of how she "will need to know how to make business decisions when she owns a veterinary office.”

Jayden Ethington is the son of Bruce and Kelly Ethington,
and a senior at Sparta High School. He plays baseball,
basketball, football and golf. Jayden joined the Sparta Fire
Department about two years ago and has been there ever
since. His grandpa started a business called CTS a little over
20 years ago and recently he passed the CEO position down
to his mother Kelly; over the summers he works there. “Last
Summer I learned how to program computers and I learned
how to install a lot of different things on sites. I plan on
working at CTS later in life to carry on the family business.
The CEO program will help me pursue my goals later in life by
learning how to make business decisions and how to be a
leader even outside of the work life.”