Eleven teams of Yeager Middle School students stepped in front of a panel of community leaders last week to pitch original business ideas. The competition was modeled after the TV series Shark Tank.

Students spent six weeks preparing for The Mane Event. Each team set out to solve a real-world problem with a product or service that does not yet exist. Along the way, they studied company branding, defined their target audiences, learned financial basics and built their pitches. They also studied how businesses operate, what entrepreneurs do and which skills a sustainable business requires.

Organizers designed the event as a friendly learning environment rather than a contest with a single winner. The format gave students a place to practice public speaking. Every student received a certificate for competing.

Douglas County Middle School Teacher of the Year and 21st Century Community Learning Center Coordinator Nicole Kempson organized the event. She said watching the students present was an emotional experience.

“Watching our students front and center present on something they worked so hard on gave me a mix of emotions from nervous energy to pride,” Kempson said. “The students worked on critical thinking and public speaking skills by solving real-world problems. They were able to turn ideas into actionable pitches, focus on academics and gain the confidence to see what is needed to excel and thrive as an innovative leader and entrepreneur of tomorrow.”