Cleveland, OH – On Saturday, April 27, eight area elementary schools competed in the annual AlphaJump Catapult Competition hosted by co-hubs Saint Ignatius High School and Saint Joseph Academy. The Catapult Competition is the regional event in which participating middle school teams compete for the coveted top three-level prizes. This year’s event was held at Saint Joseph Academy.
As AlphaJump co-hubs, Saint Ignatius High School and Saint Joseph Academy offer the program to middle schools that want to teach entrepreneurship to their sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students using the provided curriculum and materials. Schools determine how they offer AlphaJump to their students: a full semester class; a unit for a STEM or other class; a weekly enhancement activity; an enrichment activity; a school club; blended or at-home learning. Teams participated in a series of business pitch contests at their schools. Schools then select one team to send to the culminating event, the Catapult Competition.
During the event, each team pitched their business concept to a panel of judges (Saint Ignatius High School alumnus and Saint Joseph Academy alumnae). The teams were evaluated based on their ability to explain the problem their product solved, how they would market their product, product costs and the quality of their presentations.
Schools’ teams that participated in the business pitch event included: Gesu School, Lakewood Catholic Academy and Saint Benedict School, Saint Christopher School, Saint Mary School, Seton Catholic School, St. Mark School, and St. Raphael School.
First place: Cookies of the World/Eight Cookie Advent Calendar created by Cassie Cicarella from St. Raphael School (Bay Village). As the first-place winner, Cassie received $500.
Second place: The Whipped Honey Company, developed by Patrick Cook, Danny Pawar, and Jason Sotkovsky from St. Mary Catholic School (Chardon). This team received $250 as the second-place winner.
Third place: Isla LaPorte and Marcy Watson’s business, Frizzys took third place from St. Christopher School (Rocky River). As the third-place winner, this team received $100.
For more information about AlphaJump, please contact Saint Ignatius High School SIEntA Director, Ohio Master Educator, History Department and Global Studies - Family To Family and Founder and AlphaJump Cleveland Director Dan Hess '88 at dan@alphajump.org.