Are you a high school student who sits in class, constantly day dreaming about products or inventions that you'd like to create someday? Do you ever find yourself thinking about how you could use normal, everyday items in different ways? Or maybe you have a really innovative business plan that you have hopes of seeing come to life in the future. If this sounds like you, there's the perfect chance to showcase your great idea coming up soon.

The annual FCHS Innovation Challenge gives all high school students in Northern Colorado, between the ages of 13 to 18 years-old, the opportunity to think outside of the box and share their creative ideas and entrepreneurial skills/plans with others. This year's challenge is a special "Shark Tank" edition, which will follow the popular television show's format, allowing students to present their well-thought out pitches in front of a panel of judges and audience members. The event will be broken down into three separate categories: Entrepreneurship, invention, and finding new uses for common items.

For the entrepreneurial project, students should come up with a fully developed business plan that is both creative and realistic. During judging, contestants will be asked hypothetical questions about finance, planning, and overall business goals. Students who enter the invention portion of the contest should be prepared to present an original product that they have created, and be able to give reasons as to why it would be successful. Participants must provide a visual aid, or some type of prototype or mock up of their product for this category of the competition. Those who find alternative uses for every day items must also have a visual aid on hand, and be capable of demonstrating the new, innovative way of using that product.

The grand prize winners from each category will receive a cash prize of $1000. Second place winners will take home $500. Students who are interested in participating can access the application by visiting fch.psdschools.org/. All applications are due by November 2, with the finalists being announced on November 6. The judging portion of the contest will be taking place at McNeal Auditorium at Fort Collins High School on Friday, December 4, 2015. It will be exciting to see what all of these smart students can come up with, and who knows, maybe we will even see their original products on shelves someday or their idea for a business popping up on a nearby street corner.

 

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