Sponsorships Open for April 3 Junior Achievement Shark Tank-Style Event and Luncheon
Swimming With The Big Fish, a Shark Tank-style competition, offers a fun and meaningful opportunity for entrepreneurs, companies and others to support the aspirations of young minds. A program of Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, the event features fifth-grade students from Fay Herron Elementary School presenting their innovative business concepts. Following classroom instruction and mentorship from volunteers in the business community, the young entrepreneurs vie for scholarship funds.
Feel At Home team members learning they won – Josh Line Photography.
“Swimming With The Big Fish promises entertaining presentations as students pitch their new product ideas to and answer questions from a panel of local judges,” said Michelle Jackson, president and CEO of the nonprofit Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, which teaches youth about entrepreneurship, financial literacy and workforce development. “It’s always enlightening to see how the kids’ perspectives on their own lives and surroundings are incorporated into their concepts and decisions.”
The Heavenly Detangler team-Josh Line Photography
More than 400 business and community professionals are expected to attend. They also will be able to cast their votes through their smartphones. The annual event will be 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 3, 2024. PNC Bank is the presenting sponsor, and Fontainebleau Las Vegas is the host and venue sponsor.
The Sip and Chew team-Josh Line Photography
Various sponsorship opportunities, ranging from $1,000 for a table of 10 to $7,500, offer businesses recognition in the event program, logo inclusion across various mediums, and reserved tables for up to 20 guests. Higher-tier sponsorships provide increasing benefits, including enhanced awareness, signage, and messaging opportunities. For details on sponsorship, participation or attendance, email mel.kalagian@ja.org or call 702-325-4713.
Table shot -Josh Line Photo
Tim Cashman, president of The Cashman Companies and a longtime Las Vegas businessman and community and Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada supporter, is the event’s keynote speaker and honorary chair. He has been part of the nonprofit’s leadership committee and continues to champion its mission helping students learn about the “business of life” for a financially secure future.
All participating 5th graders and staff from Fay Herron ES-Josh Line Photography
“I’ve loved sponsoring Swimming With The Big Fish over the years, judging the Shark Tank competitions and hearing all the inspirational stories that have been told,” Cashman said. “I am genuinely excited and honored to be this year’s honorary chairman and keynote speaker, but the kids are the real ‘Big Fish’ of the event. I invite the community to join me and watch our talented fifth graders present their excellent and entertaining business plans. They are truly unique.”
In addition to celebrating student entrepreneurship, Swimming With The Big Fish showcases Junior Achievement’s commitment to providing financial literacy education to
K-12 students and young adults, ages 18-25. By partnering with schools and volunteers, Junior Achievement fills critical gaps in financial education, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. These lessons empower students to become financially secure adults, breaking cycles of poverty.
Swimming With The Big Fish integrates the JA: It’s My Business! entrepreneurship program, guiding 102 students through a six-week journey to develop business ideas and plans. Teams of three to five youth focus on various sectors, including apps, food and beverage, clothing, technology, and animals, with at least the top three teams presenting at the event.
Current sponsors include PNC Bank, Fontainebleau Las Vegas, RSM, KPMG, Ernst & Young (EY), and Cox, with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, serving as the student scholarship sponsor. UNLV’s donation of $15,000 will support the top three winning teams.
Past student innovations include products like the Feel At Home camping tent (2023 winner), dyslexia-friendly pen (2022 winner), a positive social media influencer resource (2021 winner), and solutions addressing various community needs, from athletic training to mental health support.
About Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, Inc. was founded locally in 1996. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing financial education to K-12 students and young adults, ages 18-25, with a curriculum that spans from budget management to economic principals, workforce skills and credit.
Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada currently reaches more than 20,000 students annually in the Las Vegas area with the help of 285 businesses and 6,800 business role models.
Upon completion, the new Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada Inspiration Center will impact more than 60,000 local youth.
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