Dist. 200 middle school students pitch business ideas

Nearly 200 eighth-graders from Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 pitched their business plans to area business leaders during an entrepreneurship expo this week at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Wheaton campus.

The students have been developing their plans throughout the past semester as part of an entrepreneurship class that is offered at all district middle schools.

Judges heard proposals for businesses that would offer a variety of goods and services, such as lawn care, sports equipment and clothing.

Scores were based on usefulness, execution, market analysis, speaking and visual presentation. Students represented Edison, Franklin, Hubble and Monroe middle schools.

As the winner, Franklin Middle School was awarded a $1,500 technology grant from the NEW 200 Foundation that will be used toward the purchase of a technology device for the entrepreneurship class.