UNT Dallas' “Shark Tank” style high school competition winners are announced

Photo courtesy of UNT Dallas. Pictured from left to right are Jayliyah Fortenberry (3rd place winner, W. H. Adamson High School), Mars Ratliff (1st place winner, Woodrow Wilson High School) and Alexa Muzquiz (2nd place winner, Bryan Adams High School Leadership Academy)

The University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) hosted a “Shark Tank” style competition on Jul. 18.

The competition served as a finale for The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Start-Up Summer Camp at UNT Dallas. The six-week camp, consisting of 14 DISD juniors and seniors, was geared toward helping students develop an entrepreneurial mindset while creating a pitch and detailed financial plan.

11 of the students went on to pitch their business ideas before an investment panel for a chance to win a $300 prize and a free trip to New York City to compete in a national pitch competition against other regional NFTE winners.

Photo courtesy of UNT Dallas

Find the list of students who placed and participated in the competition as well as the judges on the panel below.

1st place winner: Mars Ratliff from Woodrow Wilson High School

Ratliff will be awarded the $300 prize and a free trip to the national pitch competition in New York city this Oct. At the competition, investors and judges will be able to provide capital and possibly take stake in them.

2nd and 3rd place finishers: Alexa Muzquiz from Bryan Adams High School Leadership Academy and Jayliyah Fortenberry from W.H. Adamson High School

Alexa’s Flower Bouquets, Muzquiz’s business, is already fully operational and selling real roses and imitation roses made out of ribbons. She will be awarded a $200 prize. Glash, Fortenberry’s proposed business, would create and sell a false eyelash glue made with all-natural ingredients and no chemicals. She will be awarded a $100 prize.

Lakewood/East Dallas students who participated in the competition: