Indian Hill High School students develop programs to advance innovation nationwide in ‘The Big Pitch’

Two teams win funding in the ‘Shark Tank’ style competition

The Indian Hill School District proudly celebrates the success of its student entrepreneurs following this year’s “The Big Pitch” competition, a signature “Shark Tank” inspired initiative supported by the Indian Hill Foundation. This year, 30 high school students submitted 18 initial business pitches. After a competitive review process, four finalist teams were selected to present their concepts to a distinguished panel of judges, and two ventures emerged as this year’s winners:

• Assistly, created by Lauren Zaring and Charlotte Picton
• SpeakUP, created by Jane Holbrook and Kristen Mallow

Holbrook and Mallow, co-founders of SpeakUP, emphasized the broader impact of their work:
“We are incredibly honored to be named a Big Pitch winner this year. With the support of the Indian Hill Foundation, SpeakUP will continue scaling its mission to make public speaking education accessible before high school, an opportunity that currently does not exist in most schools. Since our founding, SpeakUP has developed over 200 mentor-backed lesson plans and expanded to schools across multiple states, equipping students with the public speaking and communication skills they need to succeed. We’re excited to deepen our impact by building stronger student confidence and communication while expanding into new communities nationwide.”

Zaring and Picton, founders of an app called Assistly that pairs Indian Hill students with Indian Hill families for jobs, reflected on their journey from concept to launch:
“It is so surreal to see what started as a simple idea evolve into a real-world business. We have put so much hard work into this vision, and The Big Pitch was such an incredible experience that gave us the push we needed to finally bring Assistly to life. We now have the ability to launch this platform and create a genuine impact by connecting students with local and flexible job opportunities. We want to truly thank the Indian Hill Foundation and everyone for their unwavering support—we are so excited for what’s to come!”

“The Big Pitch is a powerful example of how our students are applying their learning in authentic, meaningful ways,” said Indian Hill High School Principal Andy Gruber. “What stands out most is not just the quality of the ideas, but the confidence, resilience, and collaboration these students demonstrate throughout the process. Experiences like this are helping shape students into thoughtful leaders who are ready to make an impact both now and in the future.”

“Beyond the competition, The Big Pitch fosters meaningful connections across our schools,” said IH Experienceships Coordinator Lauren Richardson. “Whether our winners are leading workshops on public speaking and business basics, supporting Sleep in Heavenly Peace through pillow drives, or bringing the Stock Market Game to eighth-grade classrooms, their ideas are actively strengthening the Indian Hill District as a whole.”

Through initiatives like The Big Pitch, Indian Hill Schools continue to empower students to think boldly, act entrepreneurially, and make a lasting difference within their community and beyond. It is a program that would not be possible without the support of partners.

“Since the inception of Big Pitch, our IH Foundation has offered enormous support of the work,” said Indian Hill Director of K-12 Leadership and Career Development Jeff Damadeo. “Not only have they been so generous with the financial support each year, but their personal and professional support has been essential. Whether acting as a mentor, an elimination judge or as always serving as a Finale Judge, this event would not be what it is without their support and for that I am extremely grateful.” 

The finalists presented before an accomplished panel of judges, including Lindsay Amos (Amos Communications), Lauren Crandall (Indian Hill Foundation President), Anna McCuiston (Lindner Consulting Accelerator), Chad Scott (Founder and Managing Director, Tindall Capital), Mick Davis (Indian Hill School District CFO & Treasurer), and Jason McCaw (CEO of Intellex and Encore Talent Solutions).

“The Big Pitch exemplifies the very best of Indian Hill, where academic excellence meets real-world application,” said Indian Hill Superintendent Dr. Melissa Stewart. “Our students are not only developing innovative ideas, but also learning how to lead, collaborate, and create meaningful impact. This experience prepares them to thrive well beyond graduation while strengthening the connections that make our district so unique. We thank all participants – from our partners to our judges to our students – for creating such a unique leadership learning opportunity.”

The Big Pitch Event is part of the leadership programming supported by the IH Entrepreneurs’ Center (IHEC). Since opening two years ago, the IHEC has supported K-12 leadership initiatives with more than 500 student engagements in learning. 

Pictured: Indian Hill High School hosted The Big Pitch on Tuesday, March 24 at the Sue Harder Memorial Performing Arts Center. Photo provided.