Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
AKRON — Students from Tippecanoe Valley High School recently showcased their innovation and entrepreneurial skills at the regional entrepreneurship pitch competition hosted by Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne.
Students enrolled in dual-credit entrepreneurship courses through Ivy Tech first competed in a preliminary round by submitting a three-minute video pitch presenting their original business concepts. Finalists were then selected to advance to a live, eight-minute pitch competition against students from regional schools including Carroll High School, DeKalb High School and Angola High School.
Tippecanoe Valley students earned three of the seven finalist spots in the regional competition:
• McKinley Burton and Riley Abke — “Orbit”
• Christian Del Real — “GigOut”
• Rigbey Wright and Wyatt Craig — “miniatur3D”
The student teams presented creative business ideas that addressed real-world problems and targeted unique markets, according to a news release from Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation.
Del Real’s “GigOut” app was designed to help musicians manage lyrics, communication and live performance coordination during events.
Wright and Craig’s “miniatur3D” business focused on affordable and customizable tabletop gaming miniatures while also creating a social hub for players to connect.
Burton and Abke’s “Orbit” app was designed to assist runners in finding the safest routes and providing a community to connect and share information with.
The competition featured presentations from students across northeast Indiana. Rachel Turney, from Carroll High School, earned the top prize of $4,000, while Owen Holt, from DeKalb High School, received a $1,000 award.
Tippecanoe Valley students represented the school exceptionally well through their professionalism, creativity and presentation skills, according to the release. Their success highlights the growing opportunities available to students through dual-credit coursework and career-connected learning experiences.
