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Hoops 4 Her

Fina

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Location

Fairway

Kansas

United States

SMSD Student Chamber

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Competition Brief

Welcome to the SMSD Student Chamber's Business Showcase! This is an inspiring business competition designed to highlight PK-12 students who run REAL businesses in the Shawnee Mission School District. The top five business owners with the most votes and highest judge ratings will present their business ideas to a panel of esteemed judges and a vibrant audience on April 30.

Awards at the live April 30 Business Showcase are:

1st Place: $1,100
2nd Place: $600
3rd Place: $300

To learn more or join the Student Chamber, visit www.SMSDChamber.org today!

About

Hi! My name is Fina Kessler and I am a junior at Shawnee Mission East. Last year I started the nonprofit Hoops 4 Her, with the goal of empowering girls word-wide through basketball. This summer my team and I will be going to Kenya to host an all-girls basketball and empowerment camp for middle school and high school girls in the neighboring communities of Moi University. I hope to continue to grow and expand Hoops 4 Her to spread the love of the sport, and the benefits it brings to young women!

Problem

Around the world, many girls lack access to sports due to gender disparities, cultural norms, and limited resources. This prevents them from benefiting from the opportunities sports provide.

Solution

Hoops 4 Her addresses the lack of opportunities for female involvement in sports by creating opportunities for girls to learn, grow, and lead through basketball. Our first event, an all-girls camp in Kenya, will empower our campers with hands-on training, mentorship from female athletes, and workshops on communication, leadership, and more. By combining sports with education and support, we’re opening doors for girls to thrive both on and off the court.

Audience | Target Market

Hoops 4 Her's target market is anyone who cares about women's sports and empowerment. It also may include individuals or groups that have a personal relation to a female athlete and have seen the benefits of their participation in their sport.

Learning Outcomes  |  Community Impact

Hoops 4 Her positively impacts society by promoting gender equality and improving the quality of life for girls in underprivileged communities through access to sports, education, and mentorship. By encouraging healthy lifestyles and confidence, the program helps shift cultural norms around female empowerment and athletic participation. It also supports local economies by partnering with schools, universities, and small businesses to provide resources and opportunities.

Next Steps

My next steps include hosting more fundraising/community events, finalizing camp logistics for this summer, and building support and awareness of what we are doing.

 Reflection  |  Other Info

I really enjoyed the process of creating this pitch! I learned many valuable skills that I plan to use in future pitches. I also liked having a template and being able to make it my own. One thing that I struggled with was keeping my pitch/information short. Overall, this was a great experience and I hope to have the opportunity to give my pitch in the finals!!

Resource  |  Support Needs

We hope to send each camper home with their own basketball to continue working on the skills they learned along with serving as a lasting reminder of the camp's lessons and purpose. With $30 per ball, this will cover 36 out of the 50 girls attending. This will help immensely, getting us closer to making this happen.

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Fina
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Comments

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7/3/25, 3:32 PM

You did an excellent job with your pitch, well done!

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7/3/25, 1:24 PM

Fantastic work on your pitch, "John James"! Keep up the great effort!

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7/3/25, 1:35 AM

Great work, keep it up!

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7/2/25, 11:40 PM

Great work, Evan! Keep it up!

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7/2/25, 11:33 PM

Great work on your pitch, Likith! Keep it up!

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7/2/25, 11:25 PM

Great work on your pitch, Aiden Ford!

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7/2/25, 10:24 PM

Certainly! Here's a rephrased version of the feedback: "Great job on your video! It's clear that you've put a lot of effort into your pitch. Keep up the good work and continue to refine your ideas. I'm excited to see how you develop your concepts further!"

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7/2/25, 8:27 PM

Great job

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7/2/25, 8:04 PM

Thank you for sharing your pitch, "John James." I appreciate your enthusiasm and passion for dogs, as well as your creative approach to promoting them. Your idea of using videos and social media to highlight the positive aspects of having dogs is a strong strategy, and it's clear you have a good understanding of your target audience. To enhance your pitch, consider focusing on how you can present a balanced view that celebrates dogs without comparing them negatively to other animals. This approach might help you reach an even wider audience who appreciate all pets. Additionally, think about how you could use storytelling to capture the unique qualities of dogs that have personally impacted your life. Keep up the great work, and continue sharing your love for dogs with the world!

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7/2/25, 7:50 PM

"Great work on your pitch, Aqil Khan!"

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7/2/25, 5:19 PM

Cats are amazing animals! Next time, try and edit the "um"'s and "uh"s out to make the video flow a little smoother. Great job!

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7/2/25, 4:53 PM

Good work
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Criteria One:

Idea Clarity & Problem Solving Is the product or service clearly explained? Does it solve a real problem in a meaningful or unique way?

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Criteria Two:

Customer & Market Fit Are the target customers well defined? Is there an understanding of how to reach them and why they’ll buy?

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Criteria Three:

Differentiation & Innovation What makes this idea stand out from competitors or the status quo? Is there a clear unique value proposition?

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Criteria Four:

Team Readiness & Use of Funds Does the team seem prepared to take action? Are proposed uses of funding thoughtful, realistic, and specific?

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Criteria Five:

Viability & Future Plans Is there a path to launch or scale? Have they made progress (milestones/traction)? Do they have a clear next step?

Total Rating:

1

Thanks for contributing to the growth of young innovators!

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