For the second consecutive year, Pennovation Works welcomed students, educators, and community partners to an energizing celebration of student innovation and entrepreneurial thinking at the NFTE Philadelphia Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase in collaboration with Mastery Schools.
The event featured a Fast Pitch Competition, bringing together 10th-grade students from seven Mastery campuses. Throughout the day, participants shared original business ideas, developed through months of coursework, and presented them to a panel of engaged judges. The dedication of both students and teachers was evident in every pitch, reflecting the strength of entrepreneurship education across the network.
This year’s top student recognitions included:
Fast Pitch Competition Winner: Za’miiaah McKnight, Christian Rich, Jaini Vargas Gomez, and Dyland Ventura (Mastery Thomas Campus) for Auto-LOCK
Runner-Up: Nassata Gbapo (Mastery Simon Gratz Campus) for GSTEP
Most Improved Student: Sierra Hampton (Mastery Pickett Campus) for Glow Green
Beyond the awards, the showcase highlighted the collective achievements of all participating students, whose creativity, confidence, and growth were on full display.
A special moment during the program was the presentation of NFTE’s Individual Volunteer of the Year honor to Joel Barnett, recognizing his sustained dedication to mentoring and uplifting Philadelphia students through entrepreneurship.
Thank you to our partners at Mastery Schools and NFTE, and to the students whose dedication and imagination made this event so special. We look forward to seeing you continue to create, build, and innovate.
