West High Advances to National Virtual Enterprise Competition

Bakersfield school's Pawp Culture firm places fifth at state conference

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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West High School's Virtual Enterprise firm, Pawp Culture, placed fifth out of 11 firms at the state conference, earning a spot to advance to the national competition in New York City in April.

Why it matters

The Virtual Enterprise program allows high school students to gain real-world business experience by creating and operating their own simulated companies. Advancing to the national competition is a significant achievement that showcases the students' entrepreneurial skills and business acumen.

The details

Pawp Culture, West High's Virtual Enterprise firm, competed against 10 other companies at the state conference. Their fifth-place finish earned them a spot to advance to the national competition in New York City in April, where they will showcase their business model and compete against other top firms from across the country.

  • The Virtual Enterprise State Conference took place in February 2026.
  • Pawp Culture placed fifth out of 11 firms at the state conference.
  • The national Virtual Enterprise competition will be held in New York City in April 2026.

The players

West High School

A high school located in Bakersfield, California that participated in the Virtual Enterprise program.

Pawp Culture

The Virtual Enterprise firm created and operated by students at West High School.

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What’s next

The Pawp Culture team from West High School will travel to New York City in April 2026 to compete in the national Virtual Enterprise competition.

The takeaway

The success of West High's Pawp Culture firm at the state Virtual Enterprise competition demonstrates the valuable real-world business experience and entrepreneurial skills that students can gain through participating in the program, preparing them for future success in the business world.