Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts EnTEENpreneur Challenge makes a splash

The business sharks of the future are circling in western Massachusetts! Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) held its annual EnTEENpreneur Challenge on April 15 at the UMass Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center in Springfield. It’s an exciting business-pitch contest styled after the high-stakes atmosphere of popular entrepreneurial start-up competitions you see on reality TV.

A team of students from Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy won first prize with Eternal Love Bouquets, a business proposal to ship beautiful custom, handmade textile and mixed-media bouquets all over the country. The idea earned the team a $500 prize.

“It’s always fun to see the fresh ideas our young people come up with,” said Amie Mairecki, president of Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts. “We’re proud of their hard work and can’t wait to see what comes of it.”

23 teams from six high schools across western Massachusetts competed with trade show booths 90-second pitches ranging from shorts made from towel-like fabric to stickers made from eco-friendly materials. Local real-world entrepreneurs made up the panel of judges, including Jayne Astacio Melendez with the Pioneer Valley Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll): Mychal Connolly Jr. with The Realistic CEO podcast; Mychal Connolly Sr., founder of Stand Out Truck and Marketing & Cupcakes; Wesley Days with UMASS Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center at Springfield; Samalid Hogan, CEO and principal of Greylock Management Consulting; and Terrell Joyner, financial advisor at Charter Oak Financial and founder of The Consulting Web.

Leading up to the event, students used J.A. curricula, including JA Company Program and JA Be Entrepreneurial in their classrooms to learn valuable skills about how to start and fund new businesses. Lessons were designed to help teenagers build the mindset of resourceful, innovative entrepreneurs.

A team from Tantasqua Regional High School won second place and a $375 prize with its True Warrior pitch to sell hooded sweatshirts, allocating part of the proceeds to veterans’ organizations. Another team from Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy won $250, taking third place with Purely Smooth, an affordable small-batch healthy smoothie business.

Additional recognition included awards for Best Trade Show, Most Innovative Product, and Best Team. JAWM partner Mychal Connolly Jr. also gave prizes for Best Salesperson, Resilience, Kind-Hearted, Best Solo Presentation, and the Linda and Bill Wylie Award.

Event sponsors included Savage Arms, Inc., The UPS Store and the UMass Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center at Springfield.

“Even more valuable than the prize money, are the lessons these students learned,” said Mairecki. “They can go forward from this experience with new knowledge about what works and what doesn’t work in the business world. From what we saw in this year’s EnTEENpreneur Challenge, the future is bright!”

Junior Achievement was founded in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1919. Today, JAWM is part of the nation’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures and make smart choices. JAWM programs are offered in schools and community groups across Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties, as well as part of Worcester County and Vermont.