June 4, 2015 VO LUM E 28 | IS S U E 28 | FREE
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ROCKIN’ A TITLE
Students pitch ideas to ‘sharks’
Seventh-graders create international companies for their fictional products By Jane Reuter
jreuter@colorado communitymedia.com The product pitches for Sham Genie, Lifeproof Laptops and the Temp Blanket were made by youthful entrepreneurs, professionally attired in ties and dresses. Their presentations touched not only on product features, but included full, international business plans that broke down production materials and costs, employee pay, sustainability efforts, and anticipated growth and expansion. The pitches didn’t take place in a marketing company’s high-rise conference room. They were made in a seventh-grade classroom at Cresthill Middle School. Sonja Herring’s social studies class participated in a “Shark Tank”-inspired project that culminated with the May 20 and 21 presentations before a panel of adults. Herring got the idea during a summer 2014 innovation workshop hosted by the Douglas County School District. Her students had just two weeks to put together the detailed reports, including video presentations for sharks provided by the Highlands Ranch Chamber of Commerce. The seventh-graders’ enthusiasm for the fictional products they’d created shone through their nerves. “The Sham Genie will improve the world,” said Seth Rotondo-Wankel, describing a showerhead with a hands-free control that simultaneously releases shampoo and conditioner. “It helps people who are amputees and people who have trouble maintaining self-care. Other people are not offering this and we feel we can fill this whole market.” Keene Fenster pointed to the silicon bumpers designed to absorb shock and protect computers, features of the primary product produced by his team’s fictional company, Lifetime Laptops. The company is dedicated to fair trade practices, and using solar power and green technology. Fenster noted the initial investment cost for the laptop case and said, “If you look at our projected income, that money will quickly pay off.” Shark continues on Page 9
Rock Canyon players celebrate the school’s first baseball championship on May 27 at All-City Field in Denver. The Jaguars defeated Chatfield 9-2. For more coverage, turn to Page 16. Photo by Paul DiSalvo
Special-needs bike camp seeks helpers Event teaches children to bike independently By Taryn Walker
twalker@colorado communitymedia.com
Keene Fenster talks about his team’s product, Lifeproof Laptops, before a panel of community judges during a May 21 Shark Tank-style presentation at Cresthill Middle School. Photo by Jane Reuter
Children with disabilities will get help learning to ride a bike at Eastridge Recreation Center from June 15-19 at the iCan Bike camp, and the Highlands Ranch Community Association Therapeutic Program needs the community’s assistance. For each of the 35 campers enrolled, there must be two to three “spotters” to help guide the cyclist, said Summer Aden, event director and therapeutic program coordinator. Aden has roughly 20 volunteers signed up, and she needs a total of 100 by camp orientation at 3 p.m. on June 14. The five-day camp is exclusively for children with special needs, including those who have Down syndrome, autism, seizure
disorders or sensory process disorders, and those who suffer from low muscle tone or the effects of a stroke. The goal of the program is for campers to be able to independently ride their bikes by the last day of the camp, after 75 minutes of practice a day. For HRCA members, the camp costs $260, and for non-members the price is $300. As of press time, there were only four slots left. iCan Bike is in its sixth year, and Aden said there is a huge community need for the program. Last summer, the camp had a 91 percent success rate, and Aden said she believes the number of children to successfully ride their bikes will be even higher this year. iCan Bike started in 2009 after the HRCA therapeutic program was approached by a family who travels nationally. “We use rollers and systematically taper them off. It’s a very effective method, and that’s why we keep it,” Aden explained. “The campers will have access to a fleet of 30 adaptive bikes, then transition to their
own family bike.” The campers will start in the gym with the aim of making it outside on their own to ride around. “We’ve had so many families who come out and help,” Aden said. “One family has five children, all with disabilities, and they just enrolled their last one.” Volunteers for iCan Bike must be at least 16. Aden encouraged volunteers to sign up for multiple sessions throughout the week. Those interested in helping may register electronically at hrcaonline.org/trvolunteers. Numerous community sponsors, including Hampton Inn Suites, First Bank, Chick-fil-A and Chipotle, help fund the event. Residents can also help support the camp by eating at the Lone Tree Chipotle, 9500 Heritage Hills Circle, between 4 and 8 p.m. on June 17; Chipotle will donate 50 percent of every sale that includes a mention of iCan Bike to the HRCA therapeutic program.