VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Four Virginia Beach teenagers took an assignment to new heights, and won a national competition for their efforts.
Amira West, Amaya Hammill, Yasmine Marsden, and Chloe Hoffman, 16-year-olds who go to the Entrepreneurship and Business Academy at Kempsville High School, were tasked with creating a business idea to solve a problem, so they created SheClasp, a device that helps users clasp jewelry easily, like bracelets and necklaces.
Back in June, they presented their creation at Kempsville High School’s Pitch Night.
“Pitch Night was originally the big deal,” Marsden said. “All the work was going to pitch night. So preparing for that was definitely that was daunting. That was a lot of work, so being able to actually win Pitch Night, that surpassed all of our expectations, and it was just a lot of happiness.
“We were grateful for the opportunity that was given to us, and then when we found out that we had the opportunity to go to nationals, that was like a reach. We were like, ‘Wow.’ That’s beyond what we even believed we would be able to get to do.”
The young entrepreneurs continued working to perfect SheClasp and then headed to the National Pitch event in Chicago in July.
“We’re on a plane together,” Marsden said. “We’re taking a business trip. That was amazing. It was very nerve wracking, very difficult for our young minds to even wrap our heads around.”
The rising juniors presented their business plan to the judges, and wouldn’t you know, they took the national title.
“When we heard our name, they were like ‘SheClasp,'” West said. “It just felt so surreal in that moment. We were like, there’s no way, because I feel like at the same time we were making history. We never thought that any of this was possible. We never thought that we were going to go to nationals in the first place. So, to even hear our names, I honestly, I was like, ‘I’m not going to cry. I’m not going to cry. Then I cried, but it just felt so surreal. It didn’t feel real.”
Hammill said her business team worked so hard to find the right materials for their product. Then, they worked tirelessly to put together the best possible presentation. She said her nerves were at their peak at the national pitch competition when she saw who they were up against.
“The other teams were really good, and I started getting nervous when I saw them,” Hammill said, “and I was like, if anyone should have gotten there, it was definitely us. We did really good, and I was really proud of how we ended up going out there.”
For winning first place at nationals, SheClasp won a $2,000 award to put toward their business. All of the young women feel like this is the start of something very special for their futures.
“It’s definitely blossomed into something that has provided us a great opportunity for bonds,” Marsden said, “and just more entrepreneurship for young woman in business.”
If you would like to place an order with SheClasp, email: sheclasp@gmail.com.