BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY, Pa. -- Innovation and entrepreneurship -- those were the keywords used to describe the Shark Tank-style battle at Bloomsburg University in Columbia County.
College and high school students from across the state pitched their ideas in hopes of winning cash prizes.
Bloomsburg University students from all departments and majors and students from about 80 school districts in Pennsylvania took part in Thursday's competition.
For most of the morning, students presented their ideas inside the Ziegler College of Business at Bloomsburg University.
For the third year, the goal of the Husky Dog Pound Competition like Shark Tank is turning ideas into profit.
"Being able to be innovative and actually display it and put our skills to the test is awesome," said Trevaughn Ellis, East Stroudsburg High School South.
Ellis and his teammates came up with power pants -- harnessing energy from walking to power your phone.
"As you step, it turns a few gears which generates a reverse motor and that is sent into a battery pack in your pants," explained Joey Fulmer, East Stroudsburg High School South.
"It expresses the creativity of people all across Pennsylvania to help with the problems that we may have every day, or what we have locally like what we did here," said one competitor from Pottstown High School.
Presenters' ideas varied from saving your phone battery to alleviating the headache of shopping for greeting cards at the last minute.
"We are really excited to present our ideas for shoes that power your phone as you walk," said Daniel Malsch, East Stroudsburg High School South.
"Lantern flies just came about so we realized there is no other way to stop them. They don't have no other predators that come after them. We are the only people to put a stop to them," said Christian Gray, Pottstown High School.
"The Infinacord, and it's just supposed to be a better extension cord than the normal one," said Samlun Deen, Kane Area Middle School.
"First subscription card mailer, you preselect all your greeting cards for the year and they are mailed to the recipient on time," said Luke Diecidue, Central Dauphin High School.
Students had three minutes to make their pitch inside the Ziegler College of Business and five minutes to answer questions.
"Small business and entrepreneurship is the backbone of the economy and we really want to simulate the Ziegler College of Business innovation and entrepreneurship."
WINNERS:
- Forever Cord
South Western High School
MiKayla Simone - Future of Fleetwood
Fleetwood Area High School
Syndey Galtere
Tyler Becker
Eric Vasquez
Kylee Paules - Milton Hershey School – Team 1
Milton Hershey School
Davan Hanley