Clarke students close NASDAQ bell

Students from W.T. Clarke High School were awarded Top Honors on May 28 at the final citywide round of the 2010 Junior Achievement of New York (JANY) Business Plan Competition (BPC) for their innovative product idea “Infinity Hosiery.” This is the second year in a row that a Clarke team has captured the first-place prize.
   
The JANY BPC encourages students to work in teams to develop and present a comprehensive business plan that identifies a need in the marketplace and presents a sound business concept to address that need. Infinity’s business plan promises to take the hosiery industry to a whole new level by introducing a new fabric that will hold up to rips, snags, and runs for up to three months. The team, made up of students Samantha DiFilippi, Kareema Roushdy and Samantha Wendorf, sold their premium product at an affordable price and included a line of products, which included leggings, knee-highs, and tights in assorted colors and patterns. Infinity’s sales pitch, “Ever gotten a run on the run? With Infinity Hosiery, say goodbye to runs forever!” won over the panel of judges at the final round, which was presented and hosted at NASDAQ OMX MarketSite in Times Square.
   
Infinity Hosiery was one of six teams that made it through the rigorous six-week educational program and a series of competition rounds to present their plan in the finals. More than 700 students from 13 schools representing four boroughs in New York City (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens) and Long Island submitted entries to the 2010 JANY Business Plan Competition, a 135-percent increase in the number of students participating in the competition since its inception in 2008.

   
Each member of the Infinity team was awarded a cash prize of $3,000 and an iPhone, courtesy of AT&T, a trophy for their school, and business resource support to help them further develop their enterprising ideas. The students were also invited to participate in the NASDAQ Closing Bell Ceremony on June 4 in recognition of their outstanding achievement.
   
Throughout the process, Junior Achievement corporate volunteers served as mentors and coaches to help the students conceive and develop their plans. The competition was sponsored by the NASDAQ OMX Educational Foundation, which awarded a $1 million grant to JANY to help fund the growth, impact, and student reach of the competition over the next five years. The grant recognizes the increasing demand for entrepreneurship and business education at the high school level.