These 41 Young Entrepreneur Teams Are Going to Silicon Valley to Pitch Their Business Plans in the NFTE National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge

SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Young entrepreneurs from Miami to Boston and Los Angeles and major cities in between will be in Silicon Valley to compete in the National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge – presented by MasterCard – where the winner will receive $25,000 in direct funding and business support.

For eight years, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has hosted the Challenge in New York City. This year, for the first time, the Challenge is coming west – to the National Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley on October 9, 2014.

Each team in the Challenge is a first or second place winner in their region or the winner of regional competitions from NFTE's Make Your Job BizCamps, a national summer program, funded by Citi Foundation.

Here are 41 of the regional teams and individuals, listed by region, who will compete:

Atlanta
Donte'  Watkins, Tucker High School
Second Chance Tutors – a tutorial service
Nicholas Middlebrooks, Georgia Institute of Technology       
TooLive - location based software/application that optimizes nightlife experiences 

Baltimore      
Tytyana Tames, Forest Park High School    
AppLETICS - connects coaches with players and families and helps them stay organized and engaged
Lily DeBell, Roland Park Elementary Middle School 
Lily's Legwarmers - providing high-quality legwarmers of natural, breathable materials for dancers
(Summer BizCamp) Chris Sullivan, Western School of Technology, Kayla Sullivan, Towson High School and Maya Cain, Marriotts Ridge
Accelabike - a bike rental service allowing you to rent a bike from one location and drop it at another

Boston/New England
Noah Salem, Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center  
Kick-Vids – flat fee and commission video production for entrepreneurs using crowd funding services Rafal Thaher, Lowell High School
RFULLAHENNA - personal henna tattoo service business

Chicago         
Wenneasha Love, Perspectives Leadership Academy
Limitless Dreamer - a device for diabetics to measure insulin in a less painful and more convenient way
Brittany Carroll, Perspectives Leadership Academy
Styles - custom designed knee high gym shoes with connected donations for children in need
(Summer BizCamp) Meyahueltzin Angeles, Legal Prep Charter Academy and Jenna Aikens, Nicholas Senn High School
'The Abyss' –a website where artist can share their feelings and get recognized through art.

Cleveland
Brandon McClain, Thomas W. Harvey High School
B Kind Cards - handwritten note card stock with local venue scenery         
Bryon Alston, Thomas W. Harvey High School
Jazzy Scarves - custom made, eco-friendly fleece material scarves          

Connecticut
(Summer BizCamp Winner) Britney Reynolds, Trinity Catholic High and Anyira Barnes, Multi-Magnet High
ULO (Unique Locker Organizer) - a company that makes customized school locker organizers

Dallas/North Texas  
Melissa Gurrusquieta, Amalia Lara-Lara and Jorge Ramirez, Greiner Middle School          
Robo Buddy - virtual app that teaches responsibility before buying first pet             
Tanner Bannister and Hannah Edwards, MacArthur High School     
The Green Tee - biodegradable golf tee made of fertilizer    

Fresno           
Elise Christophersen, McLane High School  
Norway Waffles - pre-made dry waffle mix that makes Norwegian waffles
Kelsey Hershey, Roosevelt High School       
Poppy's Jam - jam using only fresh local ingredients from Central Valley of California

Kansas          
Lorena de la O, Wichita Heights High School           
Flicks under the Stars - an open-air, outdoor cinema that creates your very own movie theater
Andrew Marsh, Campus High School
Notes On The Go - app that satisfies all the needs of a typical marching band participant 

Los Angeles/Pasadena
Jose Soto, Dorsey High School         
Keypenn - gadget that organizes your keys into one convenient holster      
Joshua Fajardo and Eddy Giron, Hawthorne Math & Science Academy
Time's Up - color-changing toothpaste to encourage dental health for kids
(Summer BizCamp) Miles Johnson, Flintridge Preparatory School, from Pasadena
Next Generation Financials - a free smart phone app providing financial service for low income families

New York City Metro
Terriq Davidson and Mohit Khurana, August Martin High School      
Pop Casa - popcorn business with spiced flavors that New Yorkers haven't tasted yet
Haysten Perez and Ayinde Thomas, Business of Sports School     
Reverse Regime – young, affordable street-wear brand with political and social messages

NYC, Westchester
Fatlinda Krasniqi and Naryis Ramirez, Lincoln High School
Lindnar Hair Mask - organic avocado based hair mask
Ambar Romero, Kolbe Cathedral
Styles by Ambar - online store for previously owned clothing           
(Summer BizCamp) Ronnell Fuller, Mount Vernon High School
Distinguished Designs - provides customized lapel pins of great quality for a reasonable cost. 

Philadelphia
Jhaney Hamlett, Newark High School           
Heated Hoodies - a solution for students who do not want to wear tradition coats  
Jameel Kemp and Aliyah Stephens, World Communications Charter School
Technical Fashion - integrates solar paneling into stylish clothing for men and women      

Pittsburg
Kara Rohlf, Brownsville Area High School    
Delightful, Delicate and Dainty: Flavorful Fudge                   
Derica Sanchez, Urban Pathways Charter School
DERI product - handmade dog collars

San Francisco Bay Area      
Bobbie Reyes, Hayward High School
Apparel of Champions - customized cheer kits (shirts and hoodies) for school sports teams and clubs   
Doesha-Monay Wright, Silver Creek High School     
Inspire Me, Dazzle You - custom cell phone cases

South Carolina
Jesse Horine, Fort Mill High School
SouthernFly - a brand dedicated to outdoors enthusiast, anglers and fly fisherman, all over the world. Dekeiya Cohen, West Ashley High School   
The Catching Prodigy – training device for improving the catching ability of basketball players  

South Florida           
Karen Bonilla, John A. Ferguson Senior High School
Lepsy's App - application that visually explains epilepsy to children
Maggie Bodner and Alyssa Herman, Coral Springs Senior High School
Magic No Streak Cloths – cleaning-solution-free cloth that cleans without streaks or transferring dirt

St. Louis
Jordan Harden, McCluer South Berkeley   
NEOString LLC - magnetic shoelaces
Joschula Page, McKinley Classical Leadership Academy
UnPlugged - a wristband that charges your smartphone through radio wave technology   

Washington, D.C.
Amelia Semprebon, Wakefield High School
Millie Pops - cookie on a stick
Abigail  Hamilton and Emma West, TC Williams High School
Patriot Portraits - photos for military families

Student photos, more detailed biographies and information about their businesses is available.

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship – Since 1987, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has taught and inspired more than 500,000 young people to pursue educational opportunities, start their own businesses, and succeed in life. By providing entrepreneurship education programs relevant to the real world, NFTE empowers students to own their education and future success. NFTE has programs in 19 U.S. communities and 12 countries. To learn more visit www.nfte.com, like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/NFTE and follow us on Twitter at @NFTE

About the MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth – The MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth was created to foster collaborative relationships between academia, governments, nonprofits, the social design community, and the private sector. Through the advancement of research and strategic philanthropic investments, we support and enable those historically excluded from financial services and serve as a catalyst for change.  Follow us on Twitter @CNTR4growth.

About MasterCard –MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

Contact: Alyssa Miller, [email protected], 973.615.1292

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SOURCE Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship