Young Utah Students Learn to Pitch Like Pros

Imagine sixth graders in Utah's Draper Park Middle School learning to turn their ideas into businesses and pitch them to investors, just like on the popular TV show Shark Tank. That's what Laynie Alleman and her classmates did during their "It's My Business" competition, sponsored by Junior Achievement of Utah and Idaho along with CNBC. The competition is part of CNBC's Cities of Success series, which highlights cities that have become business hotspots.

Laynie's team, the Just Right Clothing Company, came up with the idea for t-shirts with heating and cooling technology. They competed against teams with ideas like an all-in-one grooming tool for pets and a cup that can both heat and cool beverages. The students spent three months brainstorming and developing their business ideas in the classroom. The competition was the highlight of their entrepreneurship course. In Draper Park, entrepreneurship is a required subject for middle schoolers. However, not all schools across the country include financial education in their curriculum for students of this age.

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