When the Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation held its 9th annual New Venture Challenge on April 26, three of the 10 high school finalists in the business plan and pitch competition were teams from Anacapa School.

One4One, Anacapa’s entrepreneurship team, won second place overall in the competition. Cash awards were presented in a ceremony on May 3 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront.

The winning team included 12-grader Anne Burdette and ninth-graders Bella Comati, Orion Guevara and Mariana Rodriguez.

One4One is a venture combining business opportunity with social need. The company’s plan is to produce customized high-quality water bottles for individuals. Also, every water bottle purchased will provide one year of clean water for a child in need.

“We are extremely pleased with Anacapa’s overall performance, and thrilled with the remarkable entrepreneurial project from Anne, Bella, Mariana and Orion,” said Dylan Minor, head of school. This was Anacapa School’s first year participating in the event.

Under Minor’s leadership, Anacapa launched an economics and entrepreneurship curriculum in the 2018-19 school year.  Students in grades 9-12 participate in an MBA-style class that includes Harvard Business School cases, team projects, and lectures in microeconomics and entrepreneurship.

“It was amazing to create a business that can both be profitable and help others in need! This was a very valuable experience that not many high schoolers get to take part in,” said Rodriguez.

Anacapa School empowers students to excel at critical thinking, creativity, integrity and compassion through academic and experiential learning in a close-knit, diverse community.

In addition to his post at Anacapa School, Minor holds a professorship at the Anderson School of Management (UCLA). He formerly held professorships at Harvard Business School and the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University).

— Dylan Minor for Anacapa School.