The Indian Hill School District celebrates two student-group winners for the third annual “The BIG Pitch” program, bringing a student wellness room to Indian Hill High School and funding the beautification of the already existing outside commons area. Students who presented “Brave Room” earned a $5,000 grant to fund a dedicated student wellness space and students who presented “The Commons” earned a $5,000 grant to create a more functional and beautiful outside commons area during the school’s “Shark Tank” style competition finale on Thursday, April 10. The Indian Hill Foundation awarded a total of $10,000 in grants.
“Each year our students develop outstanding ideas and well-researched presentations showcasing their leadership ability during this highly competitive event,” said Indian Hill High School Principal Andy Gruber. “These two programs will have a tremendous positive impact at Indian Hill High School, and we sincerely thank the Indian Hill Foundation for their continued support of this innovative program.”
Indian Hill High School’s The BIG Pitch presentations began on January 22, with 23 students submitting eight ideas on how to improve the Indian Hill High School experience. Six students presented a total of three ideas to the judges during the finale, with past winners offering updates on how their winning programs have evolved. The BIG Pitch award funding is made possible annually through a base grant from the Indian Hill Foundation; a special thank you is offered to the generosity of the Candi Wineland Memorial Fund for underwriting the program costs.
“Our executive panel of judges bring a level of sophistication to this annual event that is of tremendous benefit to the leadership learning for our students, and we want to thank these incredible professionals for giving of their time and talents to create such a unique educational experience,” said Indian Hill CEO/Superintendent Kirk Koennecke. “Additionally, we thank our partners – the Indian Hill Foundation and the Candi Wineland Memorial Fund – for making this unparalleled learning opportunity a part of the culture of learning at our high school.”
“It was an honor to serve on the panel of judges again this year,” said Indian Hill CFO/Treasurer Mick Davis. “Each year I’m absolutely impressed by the sophistication of the student presentations; I congratulate all participants for a job well done.”
“The Indian Hill Foundation is pleased to support these two worthy Big Pitches!” said Indian Hill Foundation Executive Director Meredith Ducey. “We look forward to following their progress and hearing firsthand how they benefit our Braves. A true example of how the Foundation is investing in innovation, student voice, and the future of our schools.”
Indian Hill High School launched the debut of The BIG Pitch during the 2022-2023 school year, with two student groups winning during the 2023-2024 school year.
“It is thrilling to see how this program continues to evolve the culture at our high school,” said Indian Hill High School Assistant Principal Danielle Lintz, who managed the program and mentored student presenters with Entrepreneurs’ Center Coordinator Lauren Richardson. “Each year, our students develop ideas that are relevant and sustainable, evidenced by the presentations past winners made during the finale.”
“It is fantastic to see how this program has evolved, with many of the past student-initiated programs now operating out of our new K-12 Entrepreneurs’ Center,” said Director of K-12 Leadership and Career Development Jeff Damadeo. “Watching the impact our high school Braves have had on the learning of our youngest Braves has perhaps been one of the biggest rewards we have witnessed. We can’t wait to see how the learning continues.”
Winning students for Brave Room included Ardisha Thawrani and Grace Zhang; winning students for The Commons included Arpad Lallement and Michael Miller. A special thank you to finale judges, including: Kelly Brown, corporate governance and strategy, A. Duda & Sons, Inc.; Jason Harbert, co-founder and chief technology officer, Flowspace; Nader Masadeh, president and CEO, Buffalo Wings & Rings; Gary Mitchell, founder and CEO, Divisions Maintenance Group; Lindsay Pullins, director and head of revenue strategy, Roku; Chad Scott, founder and managing partner, Tindall Capital; and Mick Davis, CFO & treasurer, Indian Hill School District.
Photo caption: Indian Hill High School students earned grants supporting two winning programs in the third annual “The BIG Pitch” event, following the school’s “Shark Tank” style competition finale on Thursday, April 10.