Have you ever come up with an idea that you just know could make you a millionaire if only you could make it happen? For the final project of the fall semester in KidsTek’s Business Computing class at North High School, students had a chance to develop their own million dollar ideas while demonstrating the computer skills they learned throughout the semester. Over the course of three weeks, students developed unique ideas for products or services, researched their competition, planned their marketing strategies, and created a short pitch for a couple of volunteer “Sharks.”
But these student innovators had the advantage of a twist on the Shark Tank formula: their ideas were allowed to use “magic.” “I love this component of the project because it gives students the opportunity to let their creativity take flight and focus on using the skills they’ve learned to make the best possible pitch instead of getting bogged down in the nitty gritty of how a product works,” said Program Manager Emily Tow. “Plus, they always come up with the most creative and fun ideas!”
Some examples of past projects include: an alarm clock that goes off when someone falls in love with you; an instant cure for the common cold; and a laundry folding machine that serves you a freshly warmed outfit on request.
This year, our Sharks were KidsTek co-founder Rich Liner and PC’s for People Manager of Business Development Meghan Kessler. “When you let high school students run with their creativity, the sky’s the limit. I enjoyed reading through various pitches and getting a small look into the innovative minds of teenagers,” said Meghan. “What a fun activity to incorporate to help refine students’ Google Slides skills!”
The winning project as selected by the Sharks was “Clear Pills,” invented by seniors Thanh Phan and Thu Nguyun. “[Clear Pills are] a magic-infused drug in the form of pills that encourage discipline and motivation in the patients that consume it,“ according to their pitch. “It doesn’t have any side effects, so there is no long-term harm in taking them.”
Congrats to Thanh and Thu on their win!
