National Summer & Out-of-School Time Pitch Contest

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YEI's National Summer & OST Pitch Contest is an exciting pitch contest for students in grades K-12.

It offers a hands-on experience where students can develop key skills like creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, and presentation abilities. Through this challenge, students gain essential workforce readiness skills and build a mindset for future careers—whether or not they pursue entrepreneurship.

Students compete in one of three groups by grade level: K-4, 5-8, or 9-12.

Full list of 2026 Winners

 

2026 Grand Prize Winners

K-4th Grade
Save A Life With A Bow
Michigan: Pleasant Lake Elementary

K-4th Grade
Crayon Rebirth
California: San Jose Highly Gifted Magnet

K-4th Grade
Holiday Fish Feeder
Ohio: Parkside Elementary School

5th-8th Grade
Elder Cook
California: Spark Innovation

5th-8th Grade
KR - Kids Reading
Ohio: Asomaning Family Homeschool

5th-8th Grade
Shot Relief Buddy
Missouri: John Burroughs/Missouri 4H

9th-12th Grade
EcoFlow
Texas: Liberty High School

9th-12th Grade
FreshForward
Missouri: Christian Brothers College High School

9th-12th Grade
Sunny Buddy
New York: Great Neck South High School

 

It's as easy as 1-2-3:

  • Students, individually or in a team, come up with a business idea.
  • Students create a video (30-90 seconds) presenting their idea.
  • Students should keep the camera on themselves for most of the video—judges need to see and hear them pitch their idea. It should not be slideshow or visuals with a voiceover.
 

2026 Timeline

Registration Open:  May 5, 2026 through June 15, 2026

Entries Due:  July 31, 2026

Winners Announced:  August 31, 2026

 

Helpful Hints:

  • Practice is key. We do not want to see students reading from a script.
  • Be enthusiastic! Viewers will be more interested if students are passionate about their idea.
  • If filming on a cell phone, hold the phone horizontally – vertical videos do not work well for this contest.

Click here for the Official Rules

Click here to see the Judging Rubric

Download the Parent Permission Form