Students at the Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship and other area schools made their pitches to “sharks” during the school’s fourth-annual business pitch competition March 12.

A panel of four judges was tasked with hearing business pitches from students and choosing the top three out of five presenters for the charter school’s “Soaring Shark Tank” event.

This year’s event was themed “The Year of the Pivot,” an ode to the changes entrepreneurs faced during the past year with the pandemic.

“It’s hard to believe we are in a pandemic right now,” said Wayne Jones, the school’s CEO. Last year’s event was originally scheduled for March 12, but was postponed because of concerns surrounding the covid-19 pandemic. It was later rescheduled for a date in May, when it was held virtually.

This year’s event was held in person at the school, which was founded in 2011. The Shark Tank event was also streamed on Facebook.

Jazmiere Bates, a seventh grade student at Troy Hill’s Provident Charter School, won first place on Friday — which meant a $1,000 injection into her business, Kin of Duncan, selling pet apparel and other supplies.

Other top finishers included Nathaniel Shelton, an eighth grade student at The Neighborhood Academy in Highland Park, whose business revolved around an app designed to connect parents to resources and reviews of schools with special-needs services. And Anyla Harris of Steel Valley Middle School developed a cosmetic brand selling flavors of lip balm dubbed Sweet Lips.

Portia Foxx, the event’s keynote speaker, encouraged students to do the work, even when the going gets tough. Foxx is a radio personality and podcaster on WAMO in Pittsburgh.

“Do your research, do your homework, get your certifications if you need certifications — do not take the easy, cheap way out of it. If you want to be the best, oh this will cost you money and time,” she said to applause.

Starting in sixth grade, students at PHCSE begin to brainstorm business ideas. In seventh grade, students are expected to construct a working “elevator pitch” for their ideas so that in eighth grade they fine-tune them into a business model they can pursue.

This year’s event was judged by Anthony Marfisi of First National Bank, Melvin Washington of Tristate Capital Bank, Christen Dunn of Real World Scholars and Sandy Curry of Alliance for Nonprofit Resources Inc.

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