Becky's Fund and the Covello Foundation Bring "Shark Tank" Competition to Friendship Collegiate Academy
Washington, District of Columbia, July 1, 2016 (Newswire.com) - ***MEDIA ALERT***
Becky’s Fund, a national nonprofit organization focused on ending intimate partner violence and the Covello Foundation, a non-profit that supports character and leadership development in youth through sports, are teaming up to sponsor the first-ever “Shark Tank” entrepreneurial pitch competition with students at Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington, D.C. During this competition, the students will pitch their business ideas to a panel of “shark” investors and a panel will choose and award the top three most effective and successful presentations of ideas. Hosted by Brandon Andrews, Senior Consultant at Values Partnerships with ABC’s "Shark Tank" casting, this pitch competition will be judged by a panel made up by Danny Boice, Founder of Trustify, Charles Johnson, President of Diakon Logistics, Gary Clark, former Redskins player, and Christina Covello, Vice Chair of the Covello Foundation.
With the help of mentors, players on the football team at Friendship will create small teams to develop and present an innovative service or product. The Covello Foundation will award first, second, and third place teams with scholarships towards their college education. This initiative will continue the long-standing relationship between Becky’s Fund and Friendship Collegiate Academy, who have worked together through the Men of C.O.D.E. (Men of Character and Ownership, Dedicated to Leading by Example) program.
“Through Men of C.O.D.E., we have had a tremendous journey working with the student-athletes from Friendship Collegiate Academy's football team, empowering them to become positive male role models for their peers and community,” said Becky Lee, Founder of Becky’s Fund. “We are thrilled to host the first Shark Tank Pitch competition sponsored by the Covello Foundation at Friendship to encourage creative thinking, entrepreneurship, and help prepare our youth to take charge of their economic destiny.”
The football team at Friendship Collegiate has been the catalyst for several community programs. Led by Athletic Director and Coach Mike Hunter, the team’s involvement in these initiatives has made an impact on and off the field.
“We are grateful to partner with Becky's Fund and the Covello Foundation to bring Shark Tank to Friendship,” said Coach Hunter. “We have seen the incredible impact of the Men of C.O.D.E. program on our boys over the last three years and are excited to watch them compete and learn about financial literacy hands-on through the upcoming Shark Tank competition.”
The Covello Foundation was started by the Covello family in memory of Gerald Covello, Jr., a father, lifelong coach, college athlete, and mentor to youth in his community. The Foundation has been able to continue his legacy by facilitating character development in young people worldwide.
"Our dad was not only an athlete and a coach, he was also an entrepreneur who founded a software services company in New Jersey,” said Stephanie Covello, President of the Covello Foundation. "He truly believed that discipline, resilience, and persistence, were all characteristics that develop through sports, which in turn lead to success in business. Partnering with Becky’s Fund and the students at Friendship Collegiate is the perfect opportunity to support young athletes in our local community, while fostering entrepreneurship, creative thinking, and teamwork, which honors our father's legacy."
The live pitch competition will be held during the week of November 14th, 2016 which is Global Entrepreneurship Week, in the auditorium at Friendship Collegiate Academy located at 4095 Minnesota Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. and will be open to the public.
ABOUT THE COVELLO FOUNDATION:
From their establishment in 2006, the Covello Foundation has sponsored clinics and special training events, provided financial support to young people in need to allow them to participate in leagues, made significant enhancement to community athletic fields and awarded baseball training scholarships to players who demonstrate that special “heart and soul” approach to the game and their team. www.covello.squarespace.com
ABOUT BECKY'S FUND:
Becky's Fund is a nonprofit organization to the prevention of domestic violence by creating awareness, encouraging advocacy among peers, promoting activism through outreach programs, and providing support for victims. http://www.beckysfund.org
PRESS CONTACT:
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703-966-7067
Source: Becky's Fund
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