1. 40 middle school kids participate in day long entrepreneurship competition
Idea Launch! is a highly interactive and hands-on student startup event. World-class
tools, local mentors and judges, and 40 aspiring entrepreneurs from grades 5-8 came
together on Feb. 21 to build what may become the next big thing.
Tampa, FL, February 24, 2015 – St. John’s Episcopal Middle School partnered with the
Entrepreneurship Education Project and The University of Tampa Entrepreneurship
Center to link middle school students with leading mentors, tools, and prizes via new
student startup workshop “Idea Launch”.
Idea Launch was held on February 21, 2015 at St. John’s campus in downtown Tampa
from 9:00-4:30. 10 teams spent the day building prototypes, exploring business models,
and talking to potential customers with the help of volunteer business mentors from The
University of Tampa and Hillsborough Community College.
“The kids had a great time. Their passion for their ideas and the creativity they possess is
infectious,” said Anne Gold, St. John’s teacher and entrepreneurship club advisor.
Student team ideas included a pepper spray watch designed by two young men who want
to ensure their older sisters are safe away at college, a robotic arm to help amputees, and
an anti-bullying campaign organization for schools. The winning team is in the process of
perfecting their recipes for a line of healthy, organic dog treats. That team consisted of
Alyssa Fair, Sandra Kiggen, and Ava Leigh Siegelbaum.
“These ideas are not unrealistic. Tampa Bay native Albert Manero, age 25, recently
launched Limbitless Solutions (http://www.limbitless-solutions.org/), which builds
robotic arms for kids. And, on Shark Tank, we saw 10 year old Ryan pitch Ry’s Ruffery,
his dog treat business, which after partnering with Barbara Corcoran is now available for
purchase in Target stores nationwide,” says Dr. Eric Liguori, EEP Co-Director and
University of Tampa Entrepreneurship Professor. Liguori adds, “The important take away
from events like this is that it’s ok to try, ok to fail, and important to keep working hard
to make your dreams come true. That’s the message we wanted to ensure the kids walked
away with, and it’s the same message we want our college entrepreneurship students to
also understand.”
About St. John’s Middle. St. John's is an Episcopal Parish Day School in Tampa, Florida,
that serves nearly 600 boys and girls in grades K4 through 8.
For more information contact Dr. Eric Liguori (ericliguori@gmail.com; 813-257-3600)
or Mrs. Anne Gold (agold@stjohnseagles.org).

2. Event Photos:
Above: Students Gabe Perdomo and Mackey Jones build their pepper spray watch
prototype.
Below: Students Lilly Lowry, Sarah Dann, and Abby Burden work with UT and HCC
mentors on their portable scanning device prototype.