On February 20, 2015, 64 firms from Michigan and Illinois gathered together for the first-ever Great Lakes Trade Show and the third overall VEI Trade Show in the month of February. 690 students gathered at the Donald E Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL to promote and sell their firms’ products and services, meet students from other firms, and compete in up to 14 competitions including Best Booth, Best Video Commercial, and Best Sales Presentation.
Illinois State Coordinator Kendra Lee said of the event, “The fact that it was the first one made it special for everyone. The facility was fabulous, the students came ready to sell, dressed in attire that reflected their booth, and the judges were impressed with our students and how they performed during the competitions.” The event was created as a response to the growth of VEI programs in Illinois and Michigan. While most schools in these states are able to attend theMidwest Regional Trade Show, this event provided another opportunity for students to attend and experience a VEI Trade Show.
See below for competition results and other event coverage.
Competition Results
Best Booth
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | UnderWrapz | Crystal Lake South |
| 2 | Deja Vu | Prairie Ridge High School |
| 3 | ECOplex | Grand Blanc High School |
| 4 | Dexacorp | Lakeland High School |
| 5 | Envision North | Belvidere North |
| 6 | Topthrill | Lapeer County Education & Technology |
| 7 | Co-Exist | Cousino High School |
| 8 | Limitless | Elmwood Park |
| 9 | WayBound Inc. | Fenton High School |
| 10 | Celebration Center | Cary-Grove High School |
Best Catalog
| Rank | Firm | School Name |
| 1 | Limitless | Elmwood Park High School |
| 2 | Underground Mall | Crystal Lake South |
| 3 | Area 304 | Geneva High School |
| 4 | Xtreme Comfort Inc. | St. Charles East High School |
| 5 | RamPride Inc. | Montrose Hill McCloy High School |
| 6 | Adventure Time | Pinckney Community High School |
| 7 | MetaNova | Metea Valley High School |
| 8 | Mavco, Inc. | Milford High School |
| 9 | Deja Vu | Prairie Ridge High School |
| 10 | Auggies | Cary-Grove High School |
Best Video Commercial
| Rank | Firm | School Name |
| 1 | Clever Contraptions | St. Charles East High School |
| 2 | Limitless | Elmwood Park High School |
| 3 | Underground Mall | Waubonsie Valley High School |
| 4 | Fresh Code | Guilford High School |
| 5 | Envision North | Belvidere North High School |
| 6 | Spectrum | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 7 | Thumbs Up, Inc. | Huron Area Technical Center |
| 7 | Affinity | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 9 | UnderWrapz | Crystal Lake South |
| 10 | Legacy | Neuqua Valley High School |
Marketing Plan Presentation
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | Legacy | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 2 | Eclipse | Maine East High School |
| 3 | Deja Vu | Prairie Ridge High School |
| 4 | Xtreme Comfort Inc. | St. Charles East High School |
| 5 | Dexacorp | Lakeland High School |
| 6 | Never Ending | Metea Valley High School |
| 6 | Star City Sports | St. Charles North High School |
| 8 | Limitless | Elmwood Park High School |
| 8 | Fresh Code | Guilford High School |
| 10 | Spectrum | Neuqua Valley High School |
Elevator Pitch
| Rank | Student Name | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | Lucas Lusk | Never Ending | Metea Valley High School |
| 2 | Alex Zahn | Legacy | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 3 | Brandon Butler | Auggies | Cary-Grove High School |
| 4 | Lauren Townsend | Affinity | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 4 | Gina Nuyen | Legacy | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 4 | Autumn Tomasko | Adventure Time | Pinckney Community High School |
| 4 | Jacob Hofstetter | Envision North | Belvidere North High School |
| 8 | Chad Franzen | A to Z | Crystal Lake Central High School |
| 8 | Matt Brent | Area 304 | Geneva High School |
| 8 | Faizan Khanani | Eclipse | Maine East High School |
| 8 | Vidul Murali | Never Ending | Metea Valley High School |
Speed Interview
| Rank | Student Name | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | Muhammed Ali | Eclipse | Maine East High School |
| 2 | Anish Aggerwal | Legacy | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 3 | Mikah Greene | Super Bouncy Bouncy | Waubonsie Valley High School |
| 4 | Anurag Vuthunuri | Star City Sports | St. Charles North High School |
| 4 | Nicole Cannistra | Xtreme Comfort Inc. | St. Charles East High School |
| 6 | Alexandra Kos | Clever Contraptions | St. Charles East High School |
| 6 | Courtney Morrison | Clever Contraptions | St. Charles East High School |
| 7 | Mitchell Todd | Deja Vu | Prairie Ridge High School |
| 8 | Sophia Niforatos | Clever Contraptions | St. Charles East High School |
| 8 | Blake Drury | Clever Contraptions | St. Charles East High School |
| 8 | Jacob Hofstetter | Envision North | Belvidere North High School |
| 8 | Karli Sellers | Spectrum | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 8 | Amanda Wilkins | Spectrum | Neuqua Valley High School |
Impact Marketing
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | aWAKEn | St. Charles North High School |
| 2 | UnderWrapz | Crystal Lake South High School |
| 3 | Alpha Co | Fruitport High School |
| 4 | Skyline Entertainment | St. Charles North High School |
| 5 | Auggies | Cary-Grove High School |
| 6 | A to Z | Crystal Lake Central High School |
| 7 | Affinity | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 8 | Clever Contraptions | St. Charles East High School |
| 9 | Xtreme Comfort Inc. | St. Charles East High School |
| 10 | Never Ending | Metea Valley High School |
Best Sales Presentation
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name | Booth # |
| 1 | Skyline Entertainment | St. Charles North High School | 101 |
| 2 | Legacy | Neuqua Valley High School | 216 |
| 3 | Rise Enterprise | Davison Community Schools | 222 |
| 4 | Clever Contraptions | St. Charles East High School | 120 |
| 5 | Apollo | Metea Valley High School | 121 |
| 6 | MetaNova | Metea Valley High School | 124 |
| 7 | Super Bouncy Bouncy | Waubonsie Valley High School | 126 |
| 8 | Luxury Incorporated | Davison Community Schools | 221 |
| 9 | Burg Enterprises | Laingsburg High School | 223 |
| 10 | Star City Sports | St. Charles North High School | 202 |
Newsletter
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | Limitless | Elmwood Park High School |
| 2 | aWAKEn | St. Charles North High School |
| 3 | Deja Vu | Prairie Ridge High School |
| 4 | MetaNova | Metea Valley High School |
| 5 | Never Ending | Metea Valley High School |
| 6 | Skyline Entertainment | St. Charles North High School |
| 7 | Area 304 | Geneva High School |
| 8 | UnderWrapz | Crystal Lake South |
| 9 | Burg Enterprises | Laingsburg High School |
| 10 | Eclipse | Maine East High School |
Website Competition (Basic)
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | Legacy | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 2 | Evolve Gaming | Rockford East High School |
| 3 | Dexacorp | Lakeland High School |
| 4 | UnderWrapz | Crystal Lake South |
| 4 | Exclusive Tek | Rockford East High School |
| 6 | Affinity | Neuqua Valley High School |
| 6 | Golden Ram Enterprises, Inc. | Holt High School |
| 8 | aWAKEn | St. Charles North High School |
| 9 | Deja Vu | Prairie Ridge High School |
| 10 | Imagineers | Lapeer County Ed & Tech High School |
Website Competition (Advanced)
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | Mavco, Inc. | Milford High School |
| 2 | 815, Inc. | Guilford High School |
| 3 | Eclipse | Maine East High School |
| 4 | Celebration Center | Cary-Grove High School |
| 5 | Thrive, Inc. | GASC Technology Center |
Best Brochure
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | UnderWrapz | Crystal Lake South |
| 2 | Adventure Time | Pinckney Community High School |
| 3 | Evolve Gaming | Rockford East High School |
| 4 | Synergy, Inc. | GASC Technology Center |
| 5 | Skyline Entertainment | St. Charles North High School |
| 6 | Golden Ram Enterprises, Inc. | Holt High School |
| 7 | Xtreme Comfort Inc. | St. Charles East High School |
| 8 | Alpha Co | Fruitport High School |
| 9 | A to Z | Crystal Lake Central High School |
| 10 | Limitless Pulse | Counsino High School |
Best Business Card
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | Envision North | Belvidere North |
| 1 | Limitless | Elmwood Park High School |
| 1 | UnderWrapz | Crystal Lake South |
| 4 | Deja Vu | Prairie Ridge High School |
| 4 | WayBound Inc. | Fenton High School |
| 6 | A-1 Enterprises | Fenton High School |
| 6 | Eclipse | Maine East High School |
| 8 | Auggies | Cary-Grove High School |
| 9 | 815, Inc. | Guilford High School |
| 9 | Bucsmart | Belvidere High School |
Best Print Ad
| Rank | Firm Name | School Name |
| 1 | Envision North | Belvidere North |
| 1 | Limitless | Elmwood Park High School |
| 1 | UnderWrapz | Crystal Lake South |
| 4 | Deja Vu | Prairie Ridge High School |
| 4 | WayBound Inc. | Fenton High School |
| 6 | A-1 Enterprises | Fenton High School |
| 6 | Eclipse | Maine East High School |
| 8 | Auggies | Cary-Grove High School |
| 9 | 815, Inc. | Guilford High School |
| 9 | Bucsmart | Belvidere High School |