Local Junior Achievement Students Win National Innovation Challenges

Image caption: Two students smiling at UHart's Finale Innovation Challenge

We are very proud of our work this year with several, outstanding community partners – including Capgemini, Prudential, The Hartford, Smith Brothers, the University of Hartford and CCSU – to bring new and exciting Innovation Challenges to selected high schools across Connecticut. From sustainability to social impact, our local students have emerged as groundbreakers on the national stage with their exemplary innovations. We are so proud to celebrate their accomplishments with you!

Image caption: Students talking with Capgemini's Julia Lievre-Cormier during a working session at Tech 4 Sustainable Futures

JA & Capgemini Innovation Challenge

Last year, Capgemini identified three JA areas to headline their inaugural Tech 4 Sustainable Futures Challenge. Students were tasked with identifying a problem related to the theme of sustainability, and developing a business plan that seeks to combat climate change and other environmental challenges. JA areas and Capgemini worked together to identify local schools that would promote a level playing field once on the national stage. 19 students from CT River Academy and 21 students from New Britain High School were selected. With the knowledge and dedication of our incredible volunteers from The Hartford and Capgemini, students participated in six sessions over several weeks using the JA Be Entrepreneurial curriculum to develop a business plan and product.

This multi-week intensive challenge was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students to work closely with industry leaders. Each week, students were hosted in The Hartford office for learning sessions dedicated to technology and climate change, collaborative workshopping, and networking with executives and other professionals from The Hartford and Capgemini, including AVP’s of Innovation & Emerging Technology from Capgemini, and a VP at The Hartford!

Image caption: Winning students standing with prizes at Capgemini's Tech 4 Sustainable Futures Challenge

The top two winning teams used feedback from their final sessions to refine their pitches for the national level before competing with winners from JA Bloomington and JA Chicago. Sure enough, CT’s own prevailed! CT River Academy students who worked to develop a shower drain that filters grey water, plastic beads and other potential water contaminants secured the challenge’s top spot nationally! These students enjoyed a well-deserved prize of a laptop or tablet (+ other exciting goodies,) had lunch with top executives from The Hartford and Capgemini, and most exciting of all, will have their product officially prototyped by Capgemini! We have already confirmed our participation in next year’s event, which will be expanded to include even more JA areas throughout the US, and four JA areas in Europe. We can’t wait!

Click here to check out this great video showcasing this year's program and participants

Image caption: Students speaking with mentor at Prudential's Innovation Challenge

JA & Prudential Innovation Challenge

In 2023, Junior Achievement USA collaborated with the Prudential Black Leadership Forum to develop a social innovation challenge for three JA areas across the United States, including Junior Achievement of Southwest New England. Select students from Windsor High School gathered for an all-day challenge where they were equipped with the JA Be Entrepreneurial curriculum in order to develop a business plan that tackles social injustice.

From equitable social services for immigrants to the price of daycare, students went above and beyond to develop solutions for the social issues that mattered most to them. Student teams “Farm to Table” and “Intersocial” were selected to polish their business pitches for the national stage. Winners from each JA area recorded a final pitch video to be judged by an esteemed panel from the Prudential Black Leadership Forum during their annual summit on Innovation. We are so proud to share that our very own Windsor High Students were awarded 1st and 2nd place across all three JA areas!

Click here to check out the final pitch video from the Farm to Table team

Click here to check out the final pitch video from the Intersocial team

Image caption: Group photo of Boys & Girls Club Students at Smith Brothers' Innovation Challenge

JA & Smith Brothers Innovation Challenge

Last summer, JA worked with 12 students from the Boys and Girls Club of Hartford alongside our friends from Smith Brothers Insurance, educating students on the value of entrepreneurship. We so enjoyed watching them flourish as they created their own businesses, guided by the JA Be Entrepreneurial curriculum taught by dedicated team of Smith Brother volunteers. We culminated our multi week challenge at the Boys and Girls Club, where each team pitched their new business concept to a team of judges. Special thanks to Joe Smith and his team at Smith Brothers for their time, expertise and generosity, and to Claude Howard, Christine Fitzgerald and Sam Grey who served as judges. Congratulations to our winners, Tiarra and Veronica, creators of T and V Dreamy Designs! We are already looking forward to this summer’s program!  

Image caption: Student team presenting on stage at CCSU's Innovation Challenge

JA & CCSU Innovation Challenge

As our 4th Innovation Challenge of 2023-24, JA collaborated with Central Connecticut State University on an all-day challenge dedicated to sustainability, biodiversity and climate change solutions. Nearly 60 students from Manchester High School, Granby Memorial High School, Tolland High School, and New Britain High School learned rapid business planning from the JA Be Entrepreneurial curriculum from our volunteer team of CCSU professors and college-student mentors. The event culminated in a challenge where student teams created a lean Canvas plan and pitched their products to a panel of CCSU professors!

Student groups came up with creative solutions for a building a more sustainable world, with products including biodegradable golf balls and sustainable clothing lines. A gardening initiative “Plantania” from Manchester High School was awarded third place, “Peaceful Planet Plates” from Tolland High School was awarded second place for their bio-degradable plates, and Tolland High School’s “ECOmpanion”, an eco-friendly stuffed animal company, was awarded first! These teams continued on to compete at our Finale Innovation Challenge- more below!

Image caption: Student scholarship winners standing on stage with plaques at UHart's Finale Innovation Challenge!

Innovation Challenge Finale

In the final JA Innovation Challenge of the season, winners from our CCSU innovation challenge joined local students from our JA Entrepreneurial Academies for an all-day challenge at the University of Hartford. Students worked with college mentors from UHart’s Barney School of Business Leadership Council to develop and refine their business concepts, culminating in one final, in-person pitch competition. The University of Hartford generously offered a $1,000, four-year renewable tuition scholarship to every member of the 1st place team! Congratulations to the winning team “Peaceful Plates,” created by two students from Tolland High School Aashvi & Julia.

Thank you to our community partners who have dedicated so much to inspiring innovation and entrepreneurship in young students in the pursuit of brighter futures. This season of Innovation Challenges has been so rewarding, and we can’t wait to make the next one bigger and better!