Area high school students try to sell their product ideas via Zoom during virtual Youth Entrepreneurship Summer Camp Pitch Competition technically hosted by Penn State Hazleton but held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Area high school students try to sell their product ideas via Zoom during virtual Youth Entrepreneurship Summer Camp Pitch Competition technically hosted by Penn State Hazleton but held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic

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HAZLETON — A multi-cleat shoe system for the multi-sport athlete nabbed a $1,000 first place prize Wednesday in a high school entrepreneurship competition held, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, via Zoom.

Hazleton Area High School student Ella Schneider made the winning sales spiel during the virtual Youth Entrepreneurship Summer Camp Pitch Competition, convincing judges that the “Sole Snap” was the best idea among the six teams of students from several area high schools

With Sole Snap, the bottom of the shoe can be changed to serve specific sports, saving money for multi-sport athletes who could get by with a single pair of shoes that holds the various soles.

“We saw the potential this product had,” Judge Lori Reno said, according to a media release. Reno is lecturer in Marketing at Penn State Hazleton. “This could even be something for every shoe going forward.”

• Ethan Roberts, of Lakeland High School, nabbed the second place $500 prize for the ethereal-sounding “Cloud Stand,” pitched as a hunter’s tree stand with more comfort at less cost. Roberts had worked up estimates and start-up needs, projecting the 20-foot tall, two-person stand would cost about $80 to make yet sell for around $300, expecting the roomy stand would have particular appeal to outdoorsmen with back problems.

Third place didn’t earn any cash, but did include some swag from the Hazleton LaunchBox start-up center. Isabelle Polgar and Christina Cikowski got the honors with “ Cellulosa” a pandemic-appropriate, biodegradable type of personal protective equipment..

The six teams had worked six weeks on their ideas before the final competition, when they each got seven minutes to pitch their products, followed by questions and comments from the judges. Winners were announced by Jocelyn Sterenchock, Director of Economic Development for Greater Hazleton CAN DO, who urged the students to “Continue building your dreams, continue looking forward.”

The other contest entries:

• “My Bubble,” an app designed to promote and alert users about social distancing, pitched by Nicole Castillo.

• “Megan’s Marketing,” a marketing and social media firm, pitched by Megan Smith.

• “EZ Cabinetry,” a line of cabinets easily accessible to people with back problems that can be controlled remotely via an app, pitched by Jacob Caba.

The summer program is designed to assist student entrepreneurs in getting their ideas off the ground and learning how to start a business. Along with Reno, Greg Fox of Best Cigar Pub and Vicky Perez of BB&T Bank in Hazleton served as judges. Penn State Hazleton Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator William Andahazy moderated the event and worked with students on developing their ideas.

The program was held at no cost to the students. Funding came from local businesses, with Penn State Hazleton serving as host, and support from the Hazleton LaunchBox Supported by Attorney Pasco L. Schiavo, the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress and other members of the Hazleton Innovation Collaborative (ThInC).

Another program with a new group of students will start in October.

Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish