2022-2023 Team

Joli Barnett

​Joli Barnett is a junior at Columbia High School. Along with participating in basketball and softball, Joli is also a member of the Student Council. She is currently employed at Too Blue. In her free time, she coaches the seventh grade softball team at Columbia Middle School. In her future, Joli plans on attending a four year college to pursue her dream of teaching. Although she isn’t certain what business she would like to create in startUP, she thinks she would like to create a clothing line. Understanding how to start a business and then being able to start a business on her own is what she is most interested in and eager to do during this program. Joli is not only excited about learning new things, but also making connections with new people that she will make in startUP.

Max Barthel

Max Barthel is a senior at Columbia High School. Along with playing soccer all four years of high school, Max also stays involved by being a part of the National Honors Society. Due to his passion for cars, Max works in a Waterloo automotive shop named Biggies Restoration during summers. He also travels around the country to compete in drag racing with his grandfather. He plans on starting a small business involving hands-on work during startUP. After high school, Max plans to attend a four-year university to study mechanical engineering and business management. Once out of college, Max’s goal is to open up his own body shop to continue his work on cars. He is looking forward to advancing his education in business so that he can have a better chance of accomplishing his goal of being an entrepreneur.

Grace Crossley

​Grace Crossley is a Junior at Columbia High School. She has been on the girls varsity cross country team for the entirety of her high school career. Grace is active in student council as the point secretary for the exclusive board. When she is not at school she enjoys weekly church youth group nights, working in the child watch at the YMCA, and camping with her family. Regarding her future career, Grace is interested in children therapy and business. Grace hopes to start a clean ingredient body scrub business during startUP. Grace is excited to learn and grow in understanding of how the business world works.

Emma Ebner

​​Emma Ebner is a senior at Columbia High School. She has participated in Student Council, NHS, cheer, dance, and track. When she is not at school, Emma is currently working at Columbia Dairy Queen, Sunset Overlook, and babysits every day after school. After high school, she plans to attend a four year university and major in engineering, while unsure of what type. During startUP this year, Emma hopes to start a clothing embroidery business due to her love for designing. She is looking forward to touring businesses around the area to learn more about what it takes to start a business and to learn new things in class. However, she's most excited to meet new people and make relationships through the startUP program!

Megan Elliott

Megan Elliott is a senior at Columbia High School. She models professionally for Images Modeling Agency in St. Louis Missouri. She has participated in golf for the entirety of her high school career. During her sophomore year she was awarded the Soaring Eagle award for being an outstanding student not only for academics but for her character as well. Megan went on to receive the Pentzler award during her junior year of high school for maintaining her high academic achievement while playing golf. Lastly, she was nominated to serve on the Junior Homecoming court. Megan has a passion for fitness and nutrition, and plans on attending college and majoring in Business Administration. She is very excited to have been given this amazing opportunity through the startUP program.

Riley Goessling

Riley Goessling is a Junior at Waterloo High School. Riley is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys the challenges of hunting and fishing. He works a part time job in carpentry and he runs and manages Goessling Landscaping. He is excited to start his journey at startUP this year. Riley is intrested in a career as an entrepreneur, he hopes to continue to run his own business in the future. Riley's hobbies include working on small engines and cars, woodworking, welding, and fabrication. He enjoys working with his hands, being inventive, and problem solving.

Katie Goldschmidt

Katie Goldschmidt is a senior at Waterloo High School. In addition to her job at Shorty's Smokehouse, she is also a member of the Waterloo Speech team. Katie has been involved in multiple sports throughout high school, including a year of tennis and one of soccer. Her education has already covered two continents, from her 2 years spent studying abroad in Hong Kong, China, and she plans to continue her education at a 4-year university and major in mechanical engineering. Katie is currently unsure of her personal business, but is interested in pursuing something fashion related. She is especially excited to expand her network and see other entrepreneurial establishments in Monroe County.

Carissa Groves

Carissa Groves is a senior at Waterloo High School. Along with being a 3 year member of the Waterloo Speech team, she is also serving as a captain on the team this year. She worked hand-in-hand with the coach to create and recruit for a new debate team. Carissa is also a member of drama club and FFA. After High School she plans on attending a 4 year university and continuing her career in business and political science. Although she is unsure of the business she will start this year, she knows it will stem from her passions: fashion, cosmetics, or poly-sci. She is extremely excited to start her year in this program and for this opportunity to expand her network.

Nick Janik

​Nicholas Janik is a senior at Columbia High School. He is active in three sports including baseball, football and golf. He is also an active 4-year member of the Illinois FFA . Nick is an employee at Reifschneider's in Columbia, IL and has also worked as kitchen advisor for Beast BBQ, along with a laborer at Shady Creek Garden and Nursery in Columbia, IL. Despite only being a freshman when he found his passion, Nick is planning on pursuing his interests in agriculture and business at Southern Illinois University of Carbondale. For Nick, he believes that startUP will be such a great doorway to many opportunities in the business field and will provide a cushion for his awareness in the line of business that most interests him. Nick is looking forward to working with the rest of the startUP team and working with a group that has common knowledge and similar backgrounds as him!

Sabrina Leingang

Sabrina Leingang is a Junior at Columbia High School. She is the president of her Student Council class for the third consecutive year and has participated on the varsity golf team for all three of her high school years. She also babysits and gives swim lessons in her freetime. Sabrina is currently self employed with her custom apparel and gifts business, prints.by.sl. She plans to continue to grow this business through startUP, which will help further her knowledge about business. After high school Sabrina will attend a 4-year university where she will either study interior design or nursing, she is undecided. She is very excited for this opportunity and can't wait to explore the business world!

Larkin Nottmeier

Larkin Nottmeier is a junior at Waterloo High School. She has been on the varsity girls soccer team for the past 3 years and varsity girls basketball team for one year. She is a member of the WHS Auto Club which has a team of students that competes in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow program. Larkin is undecided on what her future will look like. Larkin joined startUP because she wanted to experience learning in a different way than the traditional classroom environment. Larkin also thought it would be an interesting experience and a good way to learn some new things. Although Larkin is unsure what kind of business she will start this year she knows that it will be something that has to do with her passion for the outdoors.

Macie Pulcher

Macie Pulcher is a senior at Columbia High School. She is apart of the CHS golf and softball team, and she works at Friendship Village Sunset Hills. Her plans after high school are to attend Southeast Missouri State University, to study business and fashion marketing. Later in life, she wishes to start her own clothing brand, have her own store, and manufacture her own company's clothes. Macie did startUP so she could further her education in the business field and get as much experience as she could. As a result, she was able to prepare for the business world and the changes she will face along the way.

Bridget Whaley

Bridget Whaley is a Junior at Columbia High School. Bridget enjoys crocheting and the color yellow. People describe her as creative and positive. She is passionate about theater and the technicalities behind a great performance. She joined Monroe County startUP to expand her opportunities for career choices in the future. Bridget believes that having the knowledge behind business management is very important because no matter what job you have there will always be a business aspect. Bridget hopes that this year will help her expand her ideas for the future and she looks forward to what she will learn in this program.

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