18 Ohio students advance to national finals of the Mott Million Dollar Challenge in Flint, Michigan

Bold ideas from 18 local students are among just 60 semifinalist submissions selected from over 3,700 nationwide to pitch at the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, June 15-16 in downtown Flint.

FLINT, Mich., June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Eighteen students from Ohio have been selected as semifinalists in the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, a national pitch competition for K-12 students.

More than 5,300 young people from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. submitted over 3,700 business ideas and social solutions to the Challenge. From those entries, 1,500 submissions were selected in the first round. Now, the creators behind the top 60 ideas will pitch live during the final competition June 15-16 in Flint Michigan.

The Ohio semifinalists and their ideas are:

Wander Whiz — Arya Dassanayake (2nd Grade, Oak Creek Elementary), business pitch: A GPS-enabled travel companion that helps kids learn, explore and record their adventures.

Penny's Squish and Soap Shop Pitch — Penny Ramsey (3rd Grade, Glendening Elementary), social pitch: Handcrafted slimes and foam soaps designed as accessible sensory tools.

Everything Saddle — Phoebe Goldberg and Ella Greer (4th Grade, Orange City Schools), business pitch: A horse saddle with built-in storage designed to make riding more comfortable and convenient.

Pool Planner & Towel — Adalynn Bryson (4th Grade, Redwood Elementary School), business pitch: A smartwatch for competitive swimmers that provides event and readiness reminders, paired with a self-heating, self-drying towel.

Equity & Equality Donations — Amaya Bhaghat and Asha Dixit (4th Grade, Orange City Schools), social pitch: A donation platform that helps people support unhoused individuals through transparent giving.

GoKnitBox — Kaviyakayal SundaraPandiyan (4th Grade, Parkside Elementary School), social pitch: A punch-needle craft kit that encourages kids and adults to spend less time on screens through creative, hands-on activities.

Wonder Rosin — Chelsea Banks (6th Grade, Aurora City School District), business pitch: A shatter-resistant rosin for string musicians designed to be more durable and reliable than traditional rosin.

Help Me — Molly Russell (6th Grade, Bio-Med Science Academy), social pitch: An app that helps students experiencing bullying connect with trusted adults, support resources and peer mentors.

The Agricultural Sustainability & Employment Program — Manal Atassi, Sumayyah Khan and Inci Sahinkaya (7th Grade, Metro Early College Middle School), social pitch: A circular economy program that reduces food waste, creates jobs and improves food access.

SpikeSkin — Delayna Sotock (8th Grade, Shore Middle School), business pitch: A slip-on cover that protects track and field spikes while athletes walk off the track.

Motivational Goal Setting Journal for Teenage Athletes — Moira Smith (8th Grade, Saint Raphael School), social pitch: A structured journal for student athletes featuring guided activities for goal setting, performance reflection and emotional resilience.

Reading Reimagined — Sophia Bluck, Autumn Joyce and Bridget Kobel (12th Grade, Ridgewood High School), social pitch: An AI-powered literacy program that guides elementary-age students through writing and illustrating their own original stories.

Funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation as part of its centennial celebration, the Mott Million Dollar Challenge is administered by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in collaboration with VentureLab, Young Entrepreneur Institute (YEI), the Afterschool Alliance, Collaborative Communications and the 50 State Afterschool Network.

Learn more about the Mott Million Dollar Challenge and explore semifinalist ideas at https://mottmillion.org/60-semifinalist-pitches/.

Contact:
Jen Peters
[email protected]

SOURCE Charles Stewart Mott Foundation