Believe in Me promotes education and entrepreneurship in young students and recently participated in the 2021 Washington State University (WSU) High School Business Plan Competition as an angel sponsor. The competition aimed to inspire high school students to develop a serious business plan and provided them with a platform to showcase their entrepreneurial skills.
Believe in Me Judges in the WSU High School Business Plan Competition
Believe in Me CEO Julie Wukelic served as a judge on the panel of entrepreneurial experts. The awards for the High School League ranged from $250 to $5,000, and the contest was open to all Washington State high school students. To enter the competition, teams had to complete the online registration process and include members possessing the essential background to enable the development of a serious business plan.
Everything You Need to Know About the WSU High School Business Plan Competition
The competition was held in three rounds: screening, presentation, and competition awards dinner. In the screening round, teams had to submit a one-page executive summary and a two-minute video online for scoring by the judges. Five presenting teams were selected from this round to advance to the next round, the presentation round.
In the presentation round, the selected teams were required to submit their complete business plan (4-7 pages) and pitch deck (10-15 slides) by the deadline. During the presentation round, each team delivered its pitch deck to a panel of judges, and they were evaluated based on their written plans and slide presentations. The judging criteria included team presentation and style, the customer problem, solution, value proposition, competitive advantages, market and sales strategy, management, and financial planning.
Red Thread Unraveled Wins $5,000: The Top Five High School Teams Receive Prize Money
Believe in Me was thrilled to participate in the WSU High School Business Plan Competition and was proud of the top five high school teams who received prize money. Red Thread Unraveled, founded by Zoe Sponseller from Mead High School in Spokane, Wash., won $5,000 for first place. The company sells subscription packages and gift boxes to Chinese adoptees intending to strengthen and maintain an adoptee’s cultural connection to China. Here is the remainder of the winning line-up:
Mi Amor Confections $2,000: A business selling wholesale and retail macarons
Herny’s Lawn Care $1,000: A small, residential lawn care business in north Spokane
Highland Espresso $500: A coffee shop within the prime location of Five Mile Prairie
Pick Up Games $250: An app for arranging pick-up sports games
Supporting the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Believe in Me’s participation in the competition provided an opportunity to support the next generation of entrepreneurs and allowed them to contribute to the development of the community. Believe in Me strongly believes in the power of education and entrepreneurship. It aims to inspire young students to believe in themselves and open up a new world of possibility.
The competition was an excellent platform for young students to showcase their innovative business ideas and put their entrepreneurial skills to the test. The competition taught students the importance of teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Empowering Young Students: The Importance of Education and Entrepreneurship According to Believe in Me
Believe in Me believes that education and entrepreneurship are vital for the growth and development of the community. They will continue to support programs and initiatives that promote education and entrepreneurship in young students. The organization hopes that participating in the competition will inspire young students to believe in themselves and their ideas and take steps toward achieving their entrepreneurial dreams.
