After weeks of preparation, 11 students from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) won top honors in the 2025 Business Pitch Challenge, a “Shark Tank”-style competition that featured more than 125 participants from nine high schools.
The competition was held April 10.
Local business leaders judged students on innovative ideas that addressed real-world problems.
| Place | Students | School | Business | Description | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Aleena Khan, Amy Li, Connor Bunting, Miles Hecklinger | Northwest High School | Thoughtbox | AI-powered, stress-free gifting service that supports local artists | $500 |
| 2nd | Zyan Hawkins, Leule Lakew, Kaleb Theodores, Dominic LaCosta | Albert Einstein High School | Retractable | Sports ball using a boomerang system to return at the push of a button | $300 |
| 3rd + Student Choice | Jack Dawson, Dylan Dong, Ousmane Sarr | James Hubert Blake High School | Nourish+ | Nutrition-focused startup offering science-backed support for fitness goals | $200 |
Organizers praised the students’ creativity and praised the challenge as a showcase of young talent.
“The Business Pitch Challenge proved just how innovative and capable our high school students are,” said Vernelle Shaw,MCPS career and college readiness specialist, in a press release. “Each team brought phenomenal ideas to the table, showing a level of creativity, confidence and entrepreneurial spirit well beyond their years.”
Teams formed earlier this semester and advanced from school-level competitions to the countywide finals.
Judges included Business Management and Finance Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) members Allen Cox and Jocelyn Parks; Audrey Awasom, CEO of Luminary Branded Solutions; and Nadia Clute, Small Business Navigator for Montgomery County.
Keynote speaker James Aryee, senior vice president at First National Bank and principal of A.R. Consulting, LLC, addressed students before awards were announced.
The event also included lunch and interactive audience questions on entrepreneurship.
Participating schools included Gaithersburg, Kennedy, Paint Branch and Montgomery Blair high schools.
Students from Sherwood and Northwood high schools attended as audience members.
Hosted by the BMF PAC, the challenge supports the county’s business and finance programs.
“The challenge allows students to foster creativity and innovation, build business and financial literacy, improve communication and presentation skills, promote teamwork and collaboration, connect students with real-world mentors and feedback, encourage critical thinking and problem-solving and build confidence and career awareness,” Shaw added.
Photo Courtesy MCPS
