Daily News

Three Pathfinder Tech Students Win Top Honors in EnTEENpreneur Challenge

SPRINGFIELD — Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) held its annual EnTEENpreneur Challenge on May 7, naming three sophomores from the business technology program at Pathfinder Regional Technical High School the winners of the virtual competition. Sean Moon, Cody Ostiguy, and Max Sanderson received top honors for Private Pockets, a teen business that sells ties with hidden pockets in the back for customers to store business cards, cash, and credit cards.

“We are so proud of all the students who participated, especially since the virtual nature of the competition added extra challenges,” said Jennifer Connolly, president of JAWM. “It was a hard decision for our judges, but the Private Pockets team really checked off all the boxes. We congratulate them on their success.”

The EnTEENpreneur Challenge is a regional teen pitch contest in which teams create a comprehensive business plan and product idea for a small business and pitch it to a team of judges, similar to the reality show Shark Tank.

The concept for the ties was the brainchild of Moon, but Ostiguy and Sanderson helped bring the idea to fruition. The team would like to expand their company at some point to include socks with pockets in them.

Judges for the event were provided by its sponsors and included Wesley Days, UMass Springfield; Amanda Garcia, Elms College; and Mychal Connolly, Stand Out Truck. The winning team received a $5,000 scholarship to Elms College, a $500 cash prize, and their photos featured on a Stand Out Truck roaming billboard truck.

“This is the second year we held this popular event virtually due to the pandemic,” Connolly said. “We hope to return to a live format next year.”