Manchester Freshmen Win OCC 'Shark Tank' Business Competition

MANCHESTER, NJ — A team of Manchester business students put their lessons into practice in a pair of "Shark Tank"-style competitions recently, winning one and taking third in the other.

Madison Cubbison, Mackenzie Davis, Katelyn Gruppuso and Layla Petillon, all freshmen in the Manchester Township High School Introduction to Business class won the Sink or Swim competition at Ocean County College and took third in the Lion’s Den Pitch and Innovation competition at Georgian Court University, Manchester schools officials said.

The contests included cash prizes, and the young women won $3,500 for their efforts.

For each competition, the students had to create a product, develop a business plan, and then pitch their ideas to a panel of collegiate judges, similar to the television show "Shark Tank."

The goal of the competition is to help the students develop essential skills in communicating ideas and working on a team.

The four young women developed a product and company around the idea of "Stylish Safety," a line of jewelry that incorporates discreet emergency features, Manchester school officials said.

They were one of the few all-freshman teams to compete in the competitions and were the only ones to place, the district said.