Six BHS students have been selected as finalists in the DECA Idea Challenge. DECA is a not-for-profit student organisation with more than 215,000 members around the world. The DECA Idea Challenge is a fast-paced learning activity that challenges students to find an innovative use for a commonplace item. Students are given eight days to come up with their idea and produce a video explaining their idea. This year’s challenge dared elementary through university students to tap into their creativity and reinvent water bottles into an original creation.

Student teams were evaluated on their video pitch of their new invention. The competition is a fun way for students to be imaginative and resourceful while learning about the entrepreneurial process.

It promotes idea generation, creativity, communication skills, technical skills and teamwork. The DECA Idea Challenge is a premier event of Global Entrepreneurship Week. GEW is the world’s largest celebration of innovators and job creators who launch start-ups that bring ideas to life.

GEW is a platform for connection and collaboration, engaging all players along the entrepreneurship spectrum in strengthening ecosystems around the world.

In the Middle School category, The Bird Whisperers made up of Y9 students Leila Prado, Gabriella Madeiros and Leahnae Morton-Richardson were selected for their bird feeder, along with finalists from New Zealand, Saint Lucia, The United Arab Emirates, the UK and the US. In the High School School category, Boxed, made up of Y10 students Cerra Simmons, Alexandra Quinn-Sirera and Saxon Davis were chosen as finalists for their design for a flashcard box. They are competing for the final prize with students from Algeria, Canada, China, India, Moldova, Saint Lucia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, UAE, UK and US. Winners will be announced on January 30. Each team will receive recognition on both the DECA Inc and Global Entrepreneurship Week websites, in addition to a monetary award for the team as follows: • Elementary/Middle School (ages 6 to 13 years) $500 US Dollars • High School (ages 14 to 18 years) $750 US Dollars.