Spring 2022 PITCH CHALLENGE
spring 2022 WYOMING YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR PITCH CHALLENGE
June 2, 2022 – The Wyoming Afterschool Alliance is pleased to announce the winners of its 2022 Spring Pitch Challenge.
The entries again reflected young people’s courage, adaptability, persistence, optimism, and empathy. The Wyoming Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge provides an opportunity for youth to practice these skills while envisioning ways to make their communities, and the state of Wyoming, a better place.
Three volunteer judges (Leadership Wyoming Executive Director Mandy Fabel, Retired Fremont County School District One Assistant Superintendent Kirk Schmidt, and Wind River Start Up Challenge winner Leslie Spoonhunter) reviewed 46 entries. The pitches were then ranked in seven categories: hook/introduction, presentation quality, presentation media quality, uniqueness, proposed goals for solution, target market and presentation impact. Four entries were recognized for excellence in these categories.
Spring 2022 Pitch Challenge Winners
- Isabelle Camino – Manure Mobile, Buffalo High School
- Caydence Engling –Freelance Graphics, Buffalo High School
- Aisley Ivie – Aise + Vinyl Records, Star Valley High School
- Mia Hutchinson & Dylan Johnson – Sink or Swim, Star Valley High School
Entries can be viewed on our youtube.com playlist.
The Spring 2022 Pitch Challenge winners are now eligible to compete in the National Pitch Challenge sponsored by the Young Entrepreneur Institute. YEI states that their challenge “teaches essential workforce readiness skills and helps kids develop a mindset for 21st century careers whether or not they become an entrepreneur.” Learn more at youngentrepreneurinstitute.org.
“Pitch challenges are excellent tools for helping young people to practice skills that grow confidence, hone problem solving and expression,” said WYAA Director Michelle Sullivan. “The Alliance applauds the educators who help young people develop these skills that build the key entrepreneurial mindsets such as curiosity, courage, persistence and grit, problem solving, embracing failure, resourcefulness, empathy and adaptability.”
WYAA sends a special thank you to Career Technical Education teachers Karlie Philpott from Star Valley High School and Kami Kennedy from Buffalo High School for encouraging students to participate in the challenge.
To support the Wyoming Young Entrepreneur Initiative, WYAA offers support to the adults who work with the young entrepreneurs. A set of six modules with activities and interactive videos walks through the steps of identifying a problem and understanding customers all the way to making a pitch. Other supports include one-on-one coaching sessions. A complementary WYAA initiative introduces young people to ways they can set financial goals and imagine possible futures through the attainment of a certificate or a degree. The Alliance with launce a pilot program in collaboration with the Wind River Development Fund and other partner organizations later this year.
The Wyoming Young Entrepreneur Initiative is a result of a community of partners including Impact307, Wyoming 4-H, the University of Wyoming, afterschool organizations statewide, and many volunteers.
WHY ARE PITCH CHALLENGES SO GREAT?
WYAA invites your afterschool program, class, or club to participate in pitch challenges to think of a product, business or social solution that could make a difference to your community or to Wyoming. Learn more in the following video.
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