Bluffton 8th graders dive into 'Shark Tank'

BLUFFTON — Eighth graders at Bluffton Middle School have been busy working on their best pitches for a project similar to the television show, "Shark Tank," which features entrepreneurs making business presentations to a panel of investors. But this time, it's a group of Bluffton business owners that will assess the students' ideas. And at stake for the group with the winning product - ice cream. "So this is a new adventure for us here at Bluffton Middle School," said Principal Doug Westrick. "In the past I believe it's been more like a career project for kids where they would pick a career and explain it. We'd invite the community and parents in and they'd have a poster board. And it just seemed like last year maybe the energy wasn't there in that project." Instead, they found other schools had created something similar to "Shark Tank" and pitched it to eighth grade teachers Melissa Richards, Lauren Huelsman, Hailey Colligan and Stephanie McMahon. They all seemed excited about it, he said. Students are working on the project throughout the year, said Westrick. "And our kids are getting excited. So they use our 3D printers and they have a little prototype of whatever it is that their business is selling or producing," he explained. Bluffton has about 110 eighth graders. For this assignment, they are working in teams of three or four students. Westrick said each person has been assigned a job and they're working on the parts of their projects that go with those roles such as head of marketing and advertisements, head of finances/sales, head of services/products and head of operations. "Everybody has a role in the business and marketing, whatever it might be, and so then they all have equal ownership of the company," said Westrick. One of the first assignments was writing a business plan. "They are working with the chamber of commerce in Bluffton so they've been super helpful in giving us ideas so next year we can maybe expand on this," he said. Westrick said the students could do whatever they wanted with this project. Most of the businesses, he noted, are based on their personal interests. "Some of them chose restaurants because they had fun themes they wanted to go with. Some chose to do boutiques or stores selling products they personally have interest in. Some groups even went with a business that provides a service rather than a product. For example, we had a group of young ladies who decided to create an app where people can design their homes or buildings," he said. The school's six 3D printers are being used to create the prototypes. "We have a lot of kids that really enjoy that technology aspect in creating something tangible as well," said Westrick. The project will culminate on May 6. Students will make their pitches to 12-15 business leaders. Parents and the community will also get to see the results of the yearlong assignment. "It's going to be exciting. There's been a lot of positive feedback about this project," Westrick said. "Our teachers seem to enjoy it. If they enjoy it then our students are going to enjoy it." Students, teachers and the business owners will also offer their prospective about how the project can be improved in the future, he said. "The outreach into the community has been great actually," he said. "And it allows us to partner with businesses and have our students start to think about careers a little bit and what's here in Bluffton. And I think the goal is for our students to hopefully come back here one day and raise their families in Bluffton. I think this is maybe that first step for that."