It was an explosion of fireworks and ideas inside the Indian Hill High School Auditorium on Thursday, April 13. Nine students presenting five ideas lined the stage across from a panel of professionals who were ready to select the winners for the debut of Indian Hill High School’s The BIG Pitch.
“How can you make Indian Hill High School even better than it already is? That is the question we posed to our student body, and we were so proud with what they aspired to achieve,” said Indian Hill High School Principal Jeff Damadeo.
At the start of the competition, nearly 50 members of the student body brought forth 80 ideas. The top 24 presented in a final elimination round, and the exclusive nine stood before the judges, vying for a shot at getting projects funded through a $10,000 grant supported by the Indian Hill Foundation.
“What an incredible way for our amazing Indian Hill Foundation to invest in making the dreams of our students come true,” said Damadeo. “This event was about taking creative problem solving to the next level, and we could not have done it without our outstanding partner.”
Special Presentation
After the student pitches were complete, judges left the stage to deliberate the decision. Longtime member of the Brave family, Indian Hill Foundation member, and parent Shelli Wineland took the stage with her seniors, Bentley and William, to make a special presentation honoring Shelli’s sister, Candi Wineland, who passed away in October. Wineland announced the Candi Wineland Memorial Fund would be used to fund The BIG Pitch for the next decade.
“If Candi could be here with us tonight, she would find any way to help Indian Hill students accomplish their dreams, and now, she will help students make their ideas a reality for the next decade,” said Bentley Dalton.
“Candi truly saw problems as opportunities for growth, and was always there to lend me a helping hand,” added William Dalton. “I totally see her spirit embodied in The BIG Pitch, and I couldn’t be happier to see her legacy carried on in a program that so perfectly aligns with who she was.”
The Winners
Judges returned with a surprise – not one, but two ideas would be funded.
Indian Hill High School student Marley Cady was awarded funding for “Braves on a Mission” – a program to establish an immersive service program for students at Indian Hill High School.
“I’m really grateful for this opportunity,” said Cady. “I’m so happy that it is going to become a reality.”
Students Reese Tuttle and Jesslyn Gunadi were awarded funding for “Project Tech” – a program to invest in the accreditation of students within tech through the Ohio Department of Education.
“Obviously, it comes with a lot of responsibility too, so I think we are super excited to see where it goes,” said Gunadi.
“With such a talented student body here at Indian Hill, it is just impressive to see all of the pitches that were put in and it shows what can be done,” said Tuttle.
Additionally, one project was privately funded prior to the finale. Congratulations to Anya Govil who will launch her project “Girl Empowerment Workshops” during the 2023-2024 school year.
“We put the challenge to our students and they responded in ways we could never have imagined,” said Damadeo. “This is only the beginning! We can’t wait to see how this program will continue to evolve and grow.”
“We appreciate the partnership Indian Hill High School is forging with our professional community, both at events like The BIG Pitch and within our new IH Experienceships program,” said Indian Hill CEO/Superintendent Kirk Koennecke. “The exposure our students had to this executive panel is extraordinary, with learning that – for Indian Hill High School – is unprecedented. We celebrate all the professionals, the staff, and the students who made this debut event such a stunning success.”
The Indian Hill School District offers a sincere message of appreciation to all judges for the gift of their time, including: Bob Castellini, managing director – investments at Wells Fargo Advisors; Mick Davis, CFO/treasurer at Indian Hill School District; Ester Hall, college and career center coordinator at Indian Hill High School; Lori Klinedinst, executive director at Indian Hill Foundation; Lindsay Pullins, director and head of Revenue Strategy at Roku; Michael Schuster, founder and principal at MSA Design; and, Jon Waltz, vice president, Digestive Wellness at Procter & Gamble Personal Health Care.
Photo caption: Two winning groups secured funding to make Indian Hill High School a better place during the debut of The BIG Pitch on Thursday, April 13.