These Columbia area students successfully graduated from S.C. Business Week (L- R): First Row - Tabitha Hartgrove, Elise Porter, and Windy Key; Second Row - Lauren Fasbender and Emily Carson; Third Row - Luke Marr and Michele Faber. Approximately 200 high school students from across S.C. have successfully graduated from South Carolina Business Week, presented by the South Carolina Cable Television Association, July 13- 18, at Presbyterian College in Clinton. Now celebrating its 25th year, Business Week has offered some of South Carolina's brightest young minds the unique opportunity to interact with esteemed business leaders and their peers to learn more about the ins and outs of a successful career.

Attending from Columbia were Tabitha Hartgrove, Elise Porter, Windy Key, Lauren Fasbender, Emily Carson, Luke Marr, and Michele Faber.

Business Week cultivates leadership, teamwork and the American free enterprise system in real world situations and prepares high school students for the workplace by motivating them to consider possible careers in business. Throughout the week, students worked within mock companies led by company advisors from some of S.C.'s most prestigious organizations.

Students were provided the opportunity to test their newly acquired knowledge in a computer business simulation designed to achieve an authentic company feel with challenging real world situations. Using business simulation software called "Threshold Competitor," students competed to make their respective companies the most profitable through sound business decisions.

In addition to attending seminars on entrepreneurialism, leadership, resume building, ethics in business, the stock market, diversity, and other key business issues, students were joined by S.C. Superintendent of Education Jim Rex.

During Friday's Business Week graduation, the 2008 inaugural S. Hunter Howard Jr. Scholarship Award was presented to Chris Campbell of Irmo High School, and the Ronald McNair Leadership Award, presented by SCE&G, was presented to Paige Sharkey of Pinewood Preparatory School in Summerville.

Sponsors of 2008 S.C. Business Week included:

• Presenting Sponsor: South Carolina Cable Television Association

• Co- Sponsors: S.C. Manufacturing Extension Partnership, S.C. Association of School Administrators, S.C. Council of Economic Education, S.C. Department of Education, and S.C. Council of Economic Education.

Students interested in attending 2009 Business Week should visit www.scbusinessweek.com, or call the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce at 800-799-4601.