2008 Peninsula Youth Business Plan Competition

On May 10th, over 60 students from the BUILD Peninsula’s four partner high schools presented their business plans before a panel of prestigious and challenging judges. The first round was a round robin in which teams competed in order to move to the final round of the competition.

It was, perhaps, the judges who had the hardest task that morning, as each of the teams presented with poise, and answered questions with professional understanding. The teams had been gearing up for this moment, enduring three practice showcase presentations, completing a 30-page business plan, and crafting a concise and informative PowerPoint presentation.

The four finalists were proud to represent their schools:

Hurricane Bags, a cloth bag company from Carlmont High
Unique Jeans, a jean design company from Sequoia High
Star Mentality, a lanyard company from Carlmont High
Eco-Scarves, an environmentally friendly scarf company from Woodside High.

Before the final round got underway, our E2 and E3 students held a sales bazaar where guests and students alike had the opportunity to purchase products made in our youth business incubator. In addition to the competitors in the final round, we had a send-off for our 22 Seniors, all of whom were accepted into college. Two of our seniors shared their personal journeys with the audience, moving many to tears. We also celebrated an accomplished junior, and heard from a freshman student and a mentor about the relationships they built over the past year.

The day ended in celebration for Hurricane Bags, though the score was closer than any seen in previous competitions. All of the judges commented that the decision was very difficult. We could not be more proud of every team, and every student who joined us for this eventful day.