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Fulton County
Shopping Guide News Wednesday, March 18, 2026
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Valley team wins FEDCO’s First Pitch competition Text and Photos By LEAH SANDER Staff Writer
“It feels great,” said Burton of winning. “We put a lot of work into this, and I know that we both have worked really hard.”
liminary competition before he selected the two best teams for First Pitch. Horstman said after the con-
test that he believed “all the kids, all the schools did an excellent job.” Continued on page 2
FIRST PLACE — Tippecanoe Valley High School sophomores Riley Abke, left, and McKinley Burton won the Fulton Economic Development Corp.’s First Pitch student business competition on Thursday, March 12, at The Times Theater of Rochester.
SECOND PLACE — Rochester High School student Grant Bailey presents at First Pitch. He placed second.
THIRD PLACE — Olivia Watson of Caston High School talks during First Pitch. She got third.
FOURTH PLACE — TVHS student Lily Koch placed fourth in First Pitch.
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Two Tippecanoe Valley High School sophomores took the top prize in the 2026 Fulton Economic Development Corp.’s First Pitch competition. Riley Abke and McKinley Burton, both of Warsaw, won FEDCO’s annual student business competition on Thursday, March 12, at The Times Theater of Rochester. Students from Caston High School, Rochester High School and TVHS had seven minutes to present a business idea in front of judges Andrew Horstman of Fulton County REMC; Chris Hoffman of Machined Castings Specialties; and Kendra Chudzynski of The Smith Sawyer Smith Agency. The judges then asked students any questions. Students were coached by their respective business teachers: Lindsay Brubaker from Caston; Brenda Gaerte from Rochester; and Aaron Engbrecht from Valley. Abke and Burton’s pitch was for Orbit Maps, an app using artificial intelligence to help women find safe routes to run in and notify first responders if they are in trouble. The two girls received $500 from Fulton County REMC for their win.
Engbrecht said he “loved that they worked so hard and their hard work paid off.” He said his students participated in a pre-
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