How do you keep your dog off the couch if you’re taking a nap? What if there was an app-controlled shock collar that could help you keep your pets off the furniture?
That’s the pitch Amar’e Ross and Elijah Johnson gave to win the Chicago Youth Centers Sidney Epstein branch’s recent Shark Tank-style competition.
On April 11, 10 nine-to-twelve-year-olds pitched products they’d created at the end of a 10-week business and entrepreneurship program at CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center in North Lawndale.
The $35 Outchie-Huahua shock collar took the gold. Second place went to Click & Charm’s pitch for alleviating arthritis and joint pain with cooling copper jewelry. Other products included Dough & Go, a line of quick-cooking, take-home pizza kits, and Two C’s and a B’s snack box.
A panel of community judges – including representatives from the North Lawndale Employment Network, University of Illinois Chicago, and a local library branch, plus two members of CYC’s board – evaluated every pitch on creativity, financial knowledge, market potential, presentation and teamwork.
Wintrust Bank & Trust sponsored prize money distributed among participants. The gold team got $200, the silver team won $150, and the bronze teams both won $75.
The entrepreneurship program started in January, teaching participants about the fundamentals of business, budgeting, advertising, and product differentiation – largely through activities and interactive games. Curriculum was created and taught by participants in the Chicago Youth Advancement Initiative, a nonprofit created last year by Michael Francis, Nick Derbis, and Maclane Zich, who are juniors at Benet Academy in Lisle.
“We wanted to share the knowledge and passion we’ve gained as students with the next generation, hoping to inspire them to continue learning,” Francis said in a statement. “As current students, we believe our unique perspective allows us to connect with younger learners and make learning both fun and engaging.”
The business and entrepreneurship program at CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center was CYAI’s first full one, and the nonprofit plans to expand to other youth centers in Chicago. CYAI’s next program at CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center will teach computer science and robotics.
