Glockner Dare to Dream Pitch Competition

The Glockner Dare to Dream high school regional business pitch competition is an annual event held at Shawnee State University that gives area high school students the opportunity to create a business idea and pitch it to a panel of judges for the chance to win thousands of dollars in prize money.

This event exposes high school students to entrepreneurial heroes in our local region and encourages them to dream of becoming one in the future.

Who can participate?

The Glockner Dare to Dream competition is open to students who attend high schools in the following regions:

• Ohio: Lawrence, Scioto, Pike, Gallia, Adams, and Jackson Counties

• Kentucky: Lawrence, Boyd, Greenup, and Carter Counties

Students and teachers with the best entrepreneurial business pitch ideas receive cash awards. For 2026, the program will award $31,000 in sponsorship money.

What is a pitch competition?

Entrepreneurial teams consisting of three to five high school students each take the stage to pitch a business idea to a panel of business experts. This can be a high school class project led by a teacher, an after school project led by a volunteer, or a team formed by a group of individual students. There is no obligation or cost to the school or students who participate in this program. A Dare to Dream representative will be available to talk to all participants to assist them in preparing for the competition.

2027 Timeline of Events

November 2026
Letters of Intent are due. Email Gina Collinsworth for more information.

February 2027
In-School competitions

February/March 2027
Ohio and Kentucky Semi-finals

March 2027
Final Competition Starts @6 pm at the Kricker Innovation Hub, 221 Chillicothe Street Downtown Portsmouth, Ohio. Teams will please check in by 5:30 p.m.

Contacts

If you have questions, or would like to bring the program to your classroom contact:
Mike Thompson, Dare to Dream Coordinator
Amanda Hedrick, Executive Director, SSU Kricker Innovation Hub

2026 Winners - Team Honeysuckle Haven

This year's winning team was Honeysuckle Haven from Wheelersburg High School, with team members Adalyn Noble, Ryker Noble, and Elijah Brown. Their business concept is a greenhouse that also offers a custom event planting and learning experience. Education is at the heart of what they do! Their business is already generating revenue and is up and running (seasonally) at the Noble Family Farms.

2026 Winners List:

1st place - $5,000

Honeysuckle Haven, Wheelersburg

Teacher: Josie Collier

Team members: Elijah Brown, Riker Noble, Adalyn Noble

2nd place - $4,500

Stride Right, Russell Area Technology Center

Teachers: Melissa Wilburn and Aaron Woolum

Team Members: Caleb Glasser, joy Bostic, Zack Brown

TIE for 3rd and 4th - $3,500 each

Fabulous Fudge, Green

Teacher: Erika Merrill

Team Members: Uriah Satterfield, Lexy Gullett, Emma Brown, Liv Jenkins

Purpose, Boyd County

Teacher: Indi Ramsey

Payton Jones, Conner Davis, Josi Crank, Alex Maynard

5th place - $2,500

BEAD, Boyd County

Teacher: Indi Ramsey

Huck Brown, Carson Duley, Tyler Easterling, Lucas Bell, Quinton Finney

2026 Sponsors

Glockner Enterprises

KFB the Better Bank

Appalachian Investor’s Alliance

Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation

Commercial Bank of Grayson Foundation

Holiday Inn and Towneplace Suites

Tom Wolf, McDonald’s

Ernest Pitt Jr.

VanArt Properties

Giovanni’s - Ashland, Kentucky