Scarsdale, NY - Scarsdale High School recently hosted the inaugural Global Entrepreneurship Challenge, an innovative event that brought together students from around the world to collaborate on solutions to global challenges.

Following a successful all-virtual pilot last school year, the program was launched in earnest for the 2023-2024 school year. The challenge featured students from the Chinese International School in China, St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School in Virginia, The Austin Eco Bilingual School in Argentina, the Binu School in Indonesia, the BPK Penabur School in Indonesia, the State Educandate Uccellis School in Italy and Scarsdale High School. Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework, each team was tasked with developing a product or service, a business plan and pitch. 

The challenge projects tackled a wide range of issues, from environmental sustainability to security, accessibility, and access to education for those in poverty. The teams worked separately and together over the course of the school year to develop their ideas, conduct market research, and refine their business plans. Participants shared their ideas and received feedback during four live group events throughout the year. 

For the final meeting in April, teams from Argentina and Florida traveled to Scarsdale to present in person, while other teams participated virtually. The teams received expert feedback from entrepreneurs and sustainability experts from around the world, including Scarsdale Board of Education Vice President Ron Schulhof. 

The Global Entrepreneurship Challenge was an exciting opportunity for students from around the world to come together, collaborate, and innovate. The event was made possible by the hard work and dedication of the organizers, including the Scarsdale High School Global Opportunities Coordinator, Heather Waters, and STEAM Coordinator Lisa Yokana.

Waters was recently honored by the Global Education Benchmark Group with the 2023 Global Education and Thought Prize for Curriculum Design following last school year’s successful pilot of the program. 

The success of the inaugural event has inspired plans to continue the Global Entrepreneurship Challenge in the future, with the goal of expanding the program to reach even more students and communities around the world.