WT Clarke High School Takes First Prize at Junior Achievement of New York's 12th Annual Business Plan Competition

NEW YORK, June 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, June 5, aspiring entrepreneurs Abishek Ravindran, Shayan Huda, Makaeel Sheikh, and Louis Zaino from WT Clarke High School led their team to victory in the final round of Junior Achievement of New York's 12th Annual High School Business Plan Competition (BPC). Their proposed idea – InnoAir – is a reusable alternative to inhaler actuators that would offer consumers with asthma an exciting product that would reduce the amount of waste caused by single-use plastic actuators. 

InnoAir creatively solved a problem centered on this year's theme: sustainable solutions to Americans' dependency on plastic. Members of the winning team each received a cash prize of $1,500 and a trophy for their school. Edward R. Murrow High School's team, Snack n' Bottle, placed second, and Brooklyn Technical High School's team, ePlastic, placed third.

"The goal of the competition is to encourage students to consider entrepreneurship as a pathway to success and to inspire them to think critically as they enter the real world," said Joseph A. Peri, President and CEO of JA New York. "We're grateful to our sponsors, judges, and volunteers for investing time and expertise to empower the next generation of innovators and leaders."

The final round's judges included: Scott Gerber, The Community Co. and Young Entrepreneur Council; Kim Kaupe, The Superfan Company; Christopher Cruz, Searchlight Capital; and Chuck Imhof, Delta Air Lines.

The program is possible by support from: Presenting Sponsor, ICE NYSE Foundation; Major Partner, Delta Air Lines; Founding Partner, G.C. Andersen Partners, LLC; and In-Kind Sponsor, Winston & Strawn, LLP.

ABOUT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF NEW YORK
Junior Achievement of New York is the local affiliate of Junior Achievement USA, the nation's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. We recruit, train, and mobilize more than 7,200 corporate and community volunteers to provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students knowledge and skills in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness. Today, JA New York delivers more than 90,000 student experiences per year to 300 NYC, Long Island and Lower Hudson Valley public schools.

CONTACT:
Stephanie Zlotnick
212-907-0046
[email protected]

SOURCE Junior Achievement of New York