INDIANAPOLIS — As the school year wraps up and summer vacation begins, a new organization is encouraging students to step out of their comfort zones and embark on entrepreneurial journeys.
High School Hustle recently visited Cathedral High School, where students were challenged to overcome their fears and present their business ideas to an audience in the bustling lunchroom.
Indy Andersen, a Cathedral student, shared his innovative business proposal.
"My idea was cleaning garbage cans, and I kind of thought it was a good plan. It's cheap. You can buy all of the equipment for around $50. You can charge $15 a can. You get five cans a day. That's $75 a day, $525 a week," he explained.
The stakes were high for the best pitch, with six students in the running to win $100 each.
Co-founder of High School Hustle, Peter Servas, explained the program's structure, noting, "That's the first step. Then, when they actually go make $400 on any kind of hustle, we give them $100 to buy equipment, supplies to help them grow further. The big, big thing is, at the end of the summer, we're going to give away $100,000."
Among the students who pitched their ideas was Lizzy Nettleton, who envisioned a useful new app.
"So I pitched an app that sets alarms, and it's like GPS. So it's like, when you wake up and tell you how long your drive is going to be," she stated confidently.
Two Cathedral students are already benefiting from their entrepreneurial journeys.
Emma Lyons proudly shared about her venture, saying, “I have my own baking business called Sweet and Sprinkles. I've been doing it for like, one to two months now, and I locally deliver in Indiana.”
Meanwhile, Alberto Foronda has found success with his own hustle, AJR Scrubbs, which offers car detailing services. "It feels great; it's more of an independent feeling. I did this – I just feel proud of it," Foronda expressed.
Launched just last October, High School Hustle has already attracted the participation of 2,000 students across more than 25 schools.
Servas emphasized the support from donors, many of whom started their own hustles at a young age.
"Our biggest issue has been - a lot of our wonderful mothers and fathers think - like this can't be real, and they don't want to help kids. But these are people who have already been successful. They've made money; they want to give back," Servas said.
For those looking to join the entrepreneurial movement, June 1st is the deadline to sign up for the summer playoffs. The top 10 earners will win $10,000 each, which they can use to “refuel their hustle,” whether that’s buying equipment or investing in their next big idea.
The goal is to expand High School Hustle nationwide and donate a million dollars next year.
