11-year-old Awarded Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Delicious Reddit

DECEMBER 04, 2007
By Press Release

Jason O’Neill, creator and founder of Pencil Bugs, is the youngest student to receive the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2007.
Young Entrepreneurs of America (YEA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and motivating young entrepreneurs. Since the program began over a decade ago, high school students across the country have been competing for this prestigious award.
It wasn’t until this year that YEA created a new category because of one successful and very young entrepreneur who entered the competition. “We have never had someone as young as Jason impress us enough to provide an award in the under 16 category,” says Brian Acord, YEA’s founder. “Entries are considered by multiple judges and generally have 2-3 rounds before creating a list of finalists that are then presented by a judge and reviewed by all judges, including professors, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, teachers, etc.”
O’Neill is the youngest and first entrepreneur to receive the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the “Under 16” division. He turned a simple craft idea into a real business when he was only 9 years old. When most businesses fail within the first year, Pencil Bugs continues to fast forward.
Currently, O’Neill offers original Pencil Bugs, the colorful, bug-like pencil toppers that he hand makes with the help of his parent, as well as matching laminated bookmarks and custom t-shirts. He has a book series in the works, has developed a Pencil Bugs board game and is working on a video game concept.
Pencil Bugs can be ordered online at www.pencilbugs.com. “I also hold sales events around southern California which allows me to talk to people about my business,” O’Neill says.
O’Neill has enjoyed much media attention from newspapers and magazines. Some of his more exciting experiences have been appearing on NBC’s game show “1 vs 100” as their kid mogul, being a part of an ABC News Nightline online article about America’s Teen Tycoons, and being the youngest entrepreneur to be interviewed on the webTV and radio show “Mind Your Bizness”. He has also received the Young Philanthropist Award for his community support and monetary donations to HUGS Foster Family Agency.