Based on the hit TV show, Poly students create their own tank

by Reese Roaman, 25岁，特约撰稿人 多边形

保利鲨鱼池, 一个新的学生竞赛, gives young entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their inventions 和 ideas before a panel of judges 和 compete for an array of prizes.

Toward the end of the 2021-22 school year, sophomore Sadie Schoenberger, 25岁 和 I were brainstorming ways to create a schoolwide event that would both engage the Poly community 和 bolster student leadership. At the time, we recognized various efforts from Poly to foster a student-driven campus. 以这个为基础, Schoenberger 和 I designed an opportunity for students to make a difference within the Poly campus.

“Influenced by the hit ABC TV show 鲨鱼坦克, Reese 和 I drafted the idea of creating a student-led shark tank with three main objectives,舍恩伯格说. “一个, to create a school-wide event that would be both engaging 和 meaningful; two, to allow student entrepreneurs to express themselves 和 their creativity, 最后, to provide students with an opportunity to physically make an impact on Poly with their product or idea.”

We brought the concept to the Director of Student Life 贾里德·温斯顿, who was an ardent supporter of bringing 鲨鱼坦克 to life. “I dream of a school where kids develop ideas to help the Poly community 和 our society,温斯顿说. “给 students a platform to do so is a special way to instill a sense of agency 和 self-efficiency within our student body. I want students to feel 和 know they can make a difference.”

的 鲨鱼坦克 had two categories: Blue Devil 和 Mainstream Madness. Blue Devil encompassed products that would benefit the Poly community, Mainstream Madness was for any products that the creator felt would contribute to society at large.

“的 objective of adding the Blue Devil category is to allow students to see their idea come to life. 最重要的是, it encourages students to create an idea that will help people 和 make a difference at Poly.”

Sadie Schoenberger, 25岁

的 winners of the two categories both received $100 of Chef Lou Bucks (money students can spend on Blue Devil Deli food), 保利商品篮子, 和社会企业家精神 & 创新奖. This award is an honor the student winners can carry on with them throughout their Poly career 和 include on future applications. 的 winner of the Blue Devil category will also be given the resources to make their product a reality at Poly. 

11月29日, 上学校 students gathered during an assembly to witness the first 鲨鱼坦克 competition. Judges of the competition included student body president 朱利安·费尔曼，23岁, an array of faculty judges, senior Jesse Fisher, 23岁, leader of Poly’s Business 和 Entrepreneurship Club, along with faculty 道格拉斯黄, 斯蒂芬·贝茨, 自己大梵.

“的 鲨鱼坦克 was by far one of the most entertaining assemblies we have had in a while,大一新生说 布鲁克劳伦斯 ’26. “Everyone was very intrigued 和 paying attention to the products 和 student presenters, which rarely occurs at all school assemblies.”

获胜者是……

On December 27, the 鲨鱼坦克 winners were announced during the winter assembly. 的 winner of the Blue Devil Category was junior Anjali Budhram ’24. 佛陀创造了“保利伙伴”,” a student-centered app that offers all the features of Veracross while also combining the student’s personal life, 课外活动, academics to create ultra-personal schedules 和 task lists. 的 app also offers new innovative features such as monthly updated grading 和 assignment-linked class chats that allow students 和 teachers to know when others are struggling. 

“I am so excited to have the ability to create my app 和 use my voice for the bettering of my community,佛陀说. “我目前正在与奥巴马先生合作. Winston to begin the process of creating ‘Poly Pal,’ 和 I know that with the support 和 collaboration from Poly faculty members, 政府, 和更多的, ‘Poly Pal’ will be a huge asset to the community.” 的re is no set timeline yet as to when the app will be released.

初级 霍顿·波拉克，24岁 won the Mainstream Madness category with “Trax Tax.” Trax Tax offers people an insight into where their taxpayer dollars are going. According to the Trax Tax 网站, their “mission is to connect people to their taxpayer dollars.” 的 网站 demonstrates this through a breakdown of how former mayor Bill de Blasio spends his taxpayer dollars.

Winston shared his excitement for the future of 鲨鱼坦克. “I like to think of this as the first annual Poly 鲨鱼坦克, that this becomes part of the culture,他补充道. “It is a student-driven idea that we have breathed life into. It’s exactly the type of school community I love to be a part of as a school leader.”

注意: This article was originally published on February 16, 2023 on 的 多边形 网站.