Ward Melville High School’s business department landed a $1,000 prize for being one of the top three schools internationally that brought in the most submissions for the 2018-19 Blue Ocean Entrepreneurship Competition. There were more than 550 student participants with 250 submissions from over 90 high schools in 26 states and nine countries.

The school’s participation in this competition was facilitated by business teacher Ilene Littman, who incorporated the contest into Ward Melville’s Marketing H classes and allowed interested DECA members to enter as well. In addition to its prize for most submissions, three of Ward Melville’s Blue Ocean Entrepreneurship team submissions also made it into the semifinals/top 50 list:

The AnglerPack – Grace Lin, Juri Nagata, Nancy Zhong and Julia Zhu
The Perfect Gift – Courtney Lerner and Lexi Ward
Crescendo – George Kuhen, Akshay Malhotra and Adeena Shahzadi

The Blue Ocean competition is an international, virtual, and student-founded and supported pitch competition for high school entrepreneurs. It is the largest entrepreneurship competition in the United States based on Blue Ocean Strategy concepts, including creating new products that are first to the market and free of competition. Individuals or teams pitch their innovative business concepts via a video to experienced entrepreneurs and businesspeople. 

“Blue Ocean Strategy” and “Blue Ocean Shift” are two of the most popular business books of the century and are often required reading at the country’s top colleges and universities. One of the authors, Dr. Renée Mauborgne, will personally be visiting Ward Melville to deliver the school’s prize.