Winning Young Innovators Announced for 2015 Moody's Information to Innovation Challenge
Students From Massachusetts, California and New York Win Awards
NEW YORK, June 2, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Inaugural winners of the Moody's Information to Innovation Challenge – an open, online call for creative solutions to contemporary challenges, presented by The Moody's Foundation – were announced today by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), which ran the competition.
There were two categories in the initial 2015 Challenge: Social Media Savvy Quiz Challenge and the Business of Doing Good Challenge which asked small groups of young people (14-19) to think about and create ways to educate their peers about social media and social good. Two prizes of $5,000 each were awarded in each category – four prizes total – to the winning team. An additional award of $500 per winning entry – four in all – was given to the sponsoring school or social organization of the winning team.
The winners of the Moody's Information to Innovation Challenge are:
Social Media Savvy Quiz Challenge
Adjudicators' Choice Award: Zengush an innovation from Ayush Upneja and Evan Zeng of Newton South High School in Newton, MA
People's Choice Award (online voting): CharaYou? an innovation from Diana Grande, Lara Friedlund, and Maggie Mehari of San Leandro High School in San Leandro, CA
Business of Doing Good Challenge
Adjudicators' Choice Award: YOUNITY an innovation from Jessica Zodicoff and Andrew Ock of Roslyn High School in Roslyn, NY
People's Choice Award (online voting): YOUNITY
Approximately 380 teams registered for the Challenge, which started February 23. Challenge participants included students from Australia, Great Britain, Israel, and Singapore. Two runner-up teams will each share a $1,000 award, plus a prize of $250 for their school or youth serving organization.
The Challenge was designed and managed by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) – an international non-profit which teaches young people to think like entrepreneurs and provides them with tools and attitudes to overcome adversity and address future personal, economic, community and global challenges.
"The Moody's Information to Innovation Challenge is a fun opportunity for young people to think big and offer great solutions to tomorrow's hurdles," said Shawn Osborne, President and CEO of NFTE. "That kind of creative, innovative thinking is a skill that can be learned and will provide a lifetime of benefits."
"Innovation and creativity, especially among young people, are essential to maintaining a vibrant, rich and growing world community," said Frances Laserson, President of The Moody's Foundation. "We are delighted to work with NFTE and reward these young people for displaying their creativity."
The Moody's Foundation is a charitable foundation established by Moody's Corporation, is committed to supporting education, in particular the study of mathematics, finance and economics. The Foundation also funds specific initiatives in the areas of global economic development, microfinance, civic, health and human services as well as arts and cultural programs. The Foundation supports programs located in select metropolitan areas in the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere around the world. For more information, please visit www.philanthropy.moodys.com.
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Since 1987, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has taught and inspired more than 600,000 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 run through 17 U.S. program offices and in 10 countries. To learn more visit www.nfte.com, like NFTE on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/NFTE and follow us on Twitter at @NFTE
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SOURCE Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
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