Washington DC Metro Area Teens Win Business Pitch Competition

News provided by

NFTE

Jun 18, 2019, 07:00 ET

WASHINGTON (PRWEB) June 18, 2019 -- Three young entrepreneurs from area high schools won top honors in the NFTE (Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship) Washington DC Metro Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge held at the W Hotel Washington DC on May 29.

The students pitched their business ideas to a panel of expert judges, competing for cash prizes and a free trip to New York City this fall to represent the Washington DC region in the next round of nationwide competition. The first and second place winners at the Washington DC regional finals now advance to the quarterfinal rounds of NFTE’s National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, where they’ll go head-to-head with other top young entrepreneurs from across the U.S., competing for seed capital to grow their businesses or pursue educational goals.

The results of the Washington DC Metro regional finals:

  • First place went to Oxon Hill High School seniors Sydney Avelino and Shemari French, founders of Say Cheese!, a business aimed at changing the way photos are taken. Their innovation provides software and hand sleeves that allow users to take photos from over 50 feet away with subtle movements of the hand.
  • Second place went to Wakefield High School junior, Ela Gokcigdem, founder of E-Pearl Technologies, a company that specializes in affordable tech products. E-Pearl’s first product is a set of rechargeable, noise canceling, secure fit headphones that are created for active consumers.
  • Oxon Hill High School junior Kennedy Penn and Oxon Hill senior Carlos Aranzana, founders of Lead Locator took third place for a business idea for a user-friendly device that allows consumers to test the levels of lead in their water at home.

Student business pitches were judged by a panel of experts that included:

  • J. Randall Baugh, Director, Consumer Compliance, E*TRADE
  • Eric Hurley, CEO of Hurley and Associates, Inc
  • Diana Dibble, President/Chief Motivator and Co-Founder, Design to Delivery Inc.
  • Jason C. Kahler, State Director – FBLA, Education Specialist - IT Cluster, Student and Assessment Services Career and College Readiness- Maryland State Department of Education
  • Greg Bateman, Managing Director, Federal Industry Ecosystem, Microsoft

Three special awards were presented during the evening event:

  • Mary Ellen McCormick from TC Williams High School was awarded the NFTE Washington DC Metro Model Teacher Challenge Award. McCormick now advances to the next round of national competition in the Model Teacher Challenge.
  • E*TRADE was honored with the NFTE Washington DC Metro Corporate Volunteer of the Year Award.
  • Phil McNeil of Farragut Capital Partners was honored with the NFTE Washington DC Metro Individual Volunteer of the Year Award.

The NFTE Washington DC Metro Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge was presented by Ernst & Young, LLP (EY), and Mastercard with additional support from Citi Foundation, and Microsoft. The evening event was emceed by Jennifer Morales and Kathleen Cajolo, NFTE alumna, founders of Flow Comfort and national semifinalists of the 2018 NFTE National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge.

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About NFTE
NFTE is the leading educational nonprofit focused on teaching startup skills and activating the entrepreneurial mindset in young people from under-resourced communities. Research shows the entrepreneurial mindset—skills including problem-solving, adaptability, initiative, and self-reliance—leads to lifelong success. Equipped with the business and academic skills NFTE teaches and empowered by the entrepreneurial mindset, NFTE alumni are prepared to thrive. NFTE works with schools and community partners across the country through its nationwide network of program offices. Alliances with global youth development organizations bring NFTE programs to additional students internationally. NFTE reaches more than 100,000 young people annually and has served well over a million students since its founding. Learn more at http://www.nfte.com.

Media Contact
Ashley Johnson
mediainquiries(at)nfte.com
(212) 232-3333

Ashley Johnson, NFTE, http://www.nfte.com, +1 212-232-3333, [email protected]