‘Sweet 16’ ideas picked for Junior Idea competition

   A used uniform business. A computer with a built-in printer. Armpit pads to help eliminate stains on clothing. A business that would teach grandmothers how to use technology. Fast-food container recycling.
  
  These are just a few ideas that high school students developed to reach the “Sweet 16” round of Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans’ “Junior Idea” competition.
     “Their ideas are what they have been through,” Liz Lund, JA’s director of education, said. “What other schools would have Hurricane Hackers or a Uniform Reform? We found that the ideas really modeled their own life and what they were going through. It is said you should invest in what you know.”
    The top 16 business ideas – based on creativity, marketability and sustainability – were selected Dec. 7 from 70 high school individuals or teams that submitted business plans and a video to Junior Achievement. Archbishop Chapelle, Edna Karr, Mount Carmel, Eleanor McMain, St. Mary’s Dominican and Warren Easton high schools all have teams in the running  for a spot in the Final 4 and a chance to win $10,000 in scholarship money, said JA’s Julie Hanks, communications/public relations manager.
What they will learn
     Over five Wednesdays, students will receive help from area professionals to hone their ideas and presentation skills as business developers.
    “I fully expect to see one of your names on that wall,” Hanks pointed to the wall of local young entrepreneurs at JA headquarters on the Delgado City Park campus.
    On March 14, the 16 individuals and teams will participate in “The Pitch, The Party and the Pelicans” event. The evening will begin at Junior Achievement’s offices from 3-6 p.m. where students will pitch their ideas to judges, who will be voting on the top four ideas.
    After their pitches, all teams will attend the New Orleans Pelicans basketball game at the New Orleans Arena to hob nob with business professionals in suites, where they will witness commerce in action. The Final Four JA teams will be announced at halftime.
    Friends, family and schools can view Junior Idea videos and vote from March 1-14 online – www.thejunioridea.org  – for their favorite projects to make it to the Final 4.
    “We want the schools and students to drive the vote,” Lund said.
What is Junior Idea?
    Junior Achievement’s Junior Idea chairwoman and board member Laurie Young said the Junior Idea developed from JA’s existing “Be Entrepreneurial” program, where teens learn how to come up with and develop a business. JA’s president Jack Brancewicz wanted to give students a platform to continue their ideas and get them into the “pipeline” of enterpreneurship to meet young entrepreneurs of today and be the “next generation of entrepreneurs.” So, he partnered with co-founder and CEO Tim Williamson of the Idea Village to have the Junior Ideas kick off the Idea Village’s 2014 New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) on March 22.
    The final four teams will make final public pitches at the NOEW kickoff at Gallier Hall, and top idea chosen.
Finalists and their idea
    Archbishop Chapelle juniors Breana Ramsey, Carly Waldweiler and Lynnvi Dang thought of a business that would buy gently worn school uniforms, repair them and then resell them at an affordable price.
    “Our goal is recycling clothes, helping people with their wallets – people always complain about how expensive uniforms are,” Breana said.
    Lynnvi’s mom actually thought of the original idea a few years back when Lynnvi started at one school, switched to another and then returned to the original school after selling $350 worth of uniforms she had bought. They were surprised their idea was selected and hope to gain much from the experience.
    “We didn’t expect to get this far,” Carly said. “I want to meet people and make connections. I want to get into the entertainment industry, and for that you need connections.”
    Mount Carmel senior Nicole Lonatro’s idea of a laptop computer with a printer emerged so wherever someone is, only a blank piece of paper is needed for printing.
    “I want to major in computer engineering, and I want to learn more about technology” through the Junior Idea experience.
    Dominican’s two-person, eighth-grade team of Maygan Miguez and Lizzie Odell designed the multi-purpose Hurricane Hacker. To create a useful product that would help those trapped in an attic or experiencing a disaster, they consulted Hurricane Katrina first responders.
    They are pleased to be in the Sweet 16 finals.
    “I want to be more savvy with business,” Maygan said. “If we ever want to do something with this or another idea, we will gain experience.”
    The 16 finalists are already winners. Upon completion of the 5-week training, they will have created a model of their business or prototype of their product (if the hadn’t already), tweaked their initial video pitch and edited a two-page essay describing their business. Each candidate will receive a tablet computer, gain help with patents (if they desire) and internship opportunities. 
    “This is the next step on your journey,” Brancewicz said told students at the first week of “Sweet 16” training. “(Junior Idea) It’s the start of something big. You never know what the next best idea will be. There are always great ideas out there… maybe one of yours. There are no limits on where great ideas will take you.”
    Christine Bordelon can be reached at cbordelon@clarion herald.org.