Hartman Intermediate School students participate in grade level Shark Tank

Sixth Grade students at Hartman Intermediate School in the Ellwood City Area School District participated in a grade level Shark Tank Competition. Every homeroom had a class level contest to see which groups qualified for the Shark Tank. Student groups were tasked with finding some way to improve their school.

The program was organized by school counselor Christina Mendillo and STEM teacher Scott Setzenfand. The process was to combine both STEM practices with 21st Century skills that are part of the requirements of the Future Ready Index including entrepreneurial skills. The six teams presented to the “sharks,” building principal Frank Keally, local business owner Caroline Golmic, and superintendent Joe Mancini.

The groups were questioned on their process, costs to produce, marketing, and the practicality of the product. Teams had to produce a prototype of their product and make a commercial. The winning group also won $20 Amazon gift cards. The winning product was called the Whip, which made a better way to clean the hallways of debris.