H-ton Business Students Wade into Shark Tank
Six Huntington High School business management and human resources course participants waded into the “shark tank” before a panel of judges for a competition that required them to use everything they had learned over the preceding five months.
The shark tank initiative was the final assignment for students in the one semester, half-credit course led by teacher Paige Tyree. The teenagers toiled for several weeks to develop an “invention” and create a business plan to bring it to market.
Members of the class presented their work a week earlier before students selected three projects to advance to the finals, including Amanda LoScalzo for her “Search it! Find it! Buy it!” app; Allyson and Nicholas Lanzisero for their Duel Fuel” phone charger; and Elizabeth Wakhale, Hugh Smith and Eli Mollineaux for “Eli’s Top Secret Cookies.”
The “sharks,” as the competition’s judges are known, included Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky, Huntington High School Principal Brenden Cusack, high school business teacher Suzi Biagi and longtime business owner Bill Tyree.
The sharks listened to the product pitches and then had an opportunity to ask questions. “They graded the students based on product creativity and usefulness, along with their presentation skills,” Ms. Tyree said.
The competition played out in the School Heritage Museum at Huntington High School. Participants dressed and conducted themselves as business professionals.
“The panel was blown away by the presenters,” Ms. Tyree said. “I was so impressed by the students’ professionalism, poise, presentation skills and their ability to answer the judge’s tough questions.”
Once the judge’s scorecards were tallied, it was announced that Ms. Arleo and Mr. Lanzisero had emerged victorious in the fierce competition. The duo’s “Duel Fuel” phone charger is worn as a bracelet. It charges a phone through kinetic energy.
“The shark tank competition was an incredible experience,” Mr. Lanzisero said. “Not only did it further develop our business ingenuity, but it was an astounding simulation in which we were able to truly push ourselves. I am very grateful to have been able to take part in such a wonderful competition organized by Mrs. Tyree.”
“The thing I liked about this project was that it really tested us to see if we can hold ourselves together in the business world,” Ms. Arleo said. “It’s a true test of ‘can you handle it or can you not.’ And with our class, after all the presentations we saw, I would say everyone in our class could handle it. Everyone’s projects were really good. It was a close competition.”