Friday, April 10, CES will host a daylong youth summit at the University of Maine at Farmington.
To the casual passerby, the business at 156 Main Street in Farmington first beckons as an inviting retail shop with a colorful array of attractive items for sale. But the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (CES) is so much more. At the rear of the 3,000-square foot storefront is a lively and well-stocked studio/maker space, with computers, printers, a 3-D printer and a Glowforge laser cutting machine. Bar-coding equipment is available for creating SKUs and worksheets to track inventory and orders. Young creators use Shopify to enter their vendor inventory, track point of sale data, and generate profitability and sales trend reports.
CES is a nonprofit organization that leverages community support to change the lives of local young people by helping them develop and succeed as entrepreneurs, while enhancing their workforce and leadership skills – which in turn impacts their community.
Engineers Week is the perfect occasion not only to honor past innovators, said CES co-founder and CEO Bonita Tompkins, but also “to inspire and empower young people to embrace the mindset that drives innovation forward.”
Tompkins, a former Mt. Blue educator, and some of her high school students collaboratively developed CES with the focus on teaching young people how to think and execute. Having observed firsthand the socioeconomic challenges confronting many young people and their families in rural Maine, Tompkins was inspired to pour her heart and soul into this venture, and she’s never looked back.
“It’s a way of approaching real-world problems with both creativity and discipline,” Tompkins explained. “This mindset is embedded across CES programming… where youth engage in meaningful work with real impact.”
CES Changemakers, as Tompkins refers to the young participants, range from 10 to 24 years of age, with a programming focus on 14 to 18-year-olds. (Click here for our profile of Changemaker Ian House). Here, they learn to think before doing, as the first step of business development is to ask critical questions.
“They consider cost, materials, timelines, safety, positioning in the marketplace and outcomes.” Tompkins said. Troubleshooting and making design changes, rather than being viewed as failures, represent valuable opportunities to make improvements while bolstering confidence.
Tompkins noted the similarities in the creative thought processes that characterize engineering and entrepreneurship. “Engineers tend to pull ideas inward, refining and structuring them with precision so they work reliably in the real world. Entrepreneurs push ideas outward, testing them, communicating their value and refining them to meet customer needs.”
Both demand a systematic approach, and Tompkins said that, “CES embeds systems thinking and decision making throughout its programming. Youth are encouraged to understand how a product or service moves from idea to reality by learning how the various components and details intertwine.”
These principles that drive CES programming are put into practice by youth actively engaged in creating a retail product of their choosing, which they package, promote, display and offer for sale at the Center’s downtown storefront. “Once instilled,” said Tompkins, “this way of thinking carries forward into many situations and challenges throughout a person’s working life.”
She observed that over time, the young participants’ behaviors noticeably change. “They listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions and are comfortable engaging with adults and professionals because they have been exposed to real standards at CES.” Their peers notice, too; new Changemakers often ask to join after observing their friends’ success.
Thanks to business mentorships woven throughout the CES Changemakers’ experience, participants come to appreciate not just how something is built, but why it matters, whom it serves and whether it is viable. “Many professionals who engage with us recall that they were once given an opportunity themselves,” Tompkins said, and they’re more than happy to pay it forward. “They understand the impact of putting a young person on a real professional pathway and want to be part of that moment.”
CES is currently entering an exciting growth phase thanks to funding from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). This has allowed the organization to align with nationally recognized entrepreneurial education standards. Youth can now earn meaningful credentials while applying their learning to real community needs through the CES Changemakers Program. The Center is also now able to operate with part-time paid staff, increasing the capacity to deliver this important work in a robust and sustainable fashion.
“The support of professionals, donors, volunteers, youth, community members and believers made this next phase possible, and CES is incredibly grateful to be able to deliver nationally respected curriculum to rural Maine youth with dreams, grit and untapped potential,” said Tompkins, with both gratitude and pride.
CES, an organization created by students for students, will continue to evolve just like its young participants, she added, “while serving as a bridge between education, industry and community impact. We welcome partners who want to be part of what comes next.” For employers, manufacturers and engineering firms, CES offers them opportunities that provide early access to emerging talent, along with the chance to help young Mainers position themselves for success.
THE PRISCILLA CONNER YOUTH INNOVATION CHALLENGE at UMF
Friday, April 10, CES will host a daylong youth summit at the University of Maine at Farmington. The event will be named in honor of Priscilla Conner, who taught business at Mt. Blue High School for over 50 years. Sadly, she passed away from pancreatic cancer in June 2025, but her legacy lives on, deeply woven into the fabric of business success stories across the region. She was an iconic educator who believed wholeheartedly in young people and their potential. Generations of students credit her with shaping their work ethic, career paths and confidence.
The Summit will be open to area youth ages 14–18, with registration required. A keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Beth Goldstein of the Babson College Youth Impact Lab, according to Bonita Tompkins, CEO of the Center.
“This will be a serious, high-value opportunity for students who are interested in developing an entrepreneurial mindset. We’re also seeking business mentors to participate, as well as college students who will be learning alongside our youth,” said Tompkins. “The collaborative energy around this is getting stronger.”
“Having the opportunity to learn directly from and engage with leaders connected to the number one entrepreneurship school in the nation is incredible,” Tompkins added.
“As an organization, we are so proud and honored to have been selected by Androscoggin Valley Council Of Governments (AVCOG) to offer this youth entrepreneurship summit in rural Maine.”
Learn more and register at CESmaine.org
THE CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES (CES)
156 Main St, Farmington, ME 04938 | (207) 779-1779 | CESmaine.org
The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower youth and young adults to thrive as entrepreneurs, innovators and community leaders. Through business education and skills development, mentorship, business start-ups, internships and social enterprises, and provided tools and resources that youth need to start and grow their own businesses, CES aims to lead the next generation to help in growing workforce and economic development in Maine.
Approximately 26 youth and young adults (ages 10 to 24) per year are engaged in sustained entrepreneurial education at CES. Since opening in 2020, CES has worked with over 160 youth participants to date, while special events, like an upcoming Youth Summit, may engage more area students.
