Area Students Compete, Take Home Prizes in Thrown to the Wolves Competition
JONESBORO — Area high school students participated in the annual Thrown to the Wolves competition this week.
Competitors this year included students from The Academies at Jonesboro High School, Midland High School, East Poinsett County High School, Paragould High School, Cross County High School, and Walnut Ridge High School.
“I am truly inspired by the creativity of our competing high school teams, and it was a pleasure to see them receive invaluable feedback from judges who have thrived in their careers and businesses. The potential of these students is limitless, and I look forward to following their future achievements with great anticipation,” said Andrea Allen, executive director of the Delta Center.
In the competition, 13 students from the six schools submitted business plans ahead of the event that they pitched live in front of the judges.
Walnut Ridge High School student Jersie Cunningham won first place. With this honor, he will receive a mentoring session with a local celebrity innovator and venture capitalist; $1,000 for the student and $1,000 for the teacher sponsor's classroom; a $500 A-State scholarship; free workspace and membership at A-State Innovate for one year; and free patent help, prototyping development and manufacturing advice. The student also receives a marketing package valued at $7,500 from The Solutions Group.
“The vision and ideas from our teams this year were impressive, and I was thrilled to see all of the teams develop products that solve problems,” Allen continued.
Second-place winners Mali Wallis, Jenna Organ and Donna McKenzie from Cross County High School will take home $500 for the team and $500 for the school sponsor’s classroom; a $500 A-State scholarship for each team member, and free workspace at A-State Innovate for a year.
Taking home third place was Christopher Pham of Paragould High School. He won $150, with $150 also going to the school sponsor’s classroom, a $500 A-State scholarship, and free workspace and membership at A-State Innovate for one year.
Cross County High School was awarded the Pack Pick Award this year.
Sponsors of this event included: Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions and The Solutions Group as the visionary sponsors, Big River Steel as the pathfinder sponsor, Jonesboro Unlimited as the pioneer sponsor, Entergy as creator sponsor, and Hijinx as the Pack Pick award sponsor. 
Manu Nair, founder and CEO of AceOne Technologies; Schelley Davis, Walnut Ridge High School EAST teacher; WRHS student Jasper Callahan; WRHS student Emerson Callahan; A-State's Mascot HOWL; WRHS student winner Jersie Cunningham; WRHS student Riley Richey; Vanna Headley, business development officer at The Solutions Group; Kristi Pulliam, owner of Ktizo Coaching and Consulting; and and Christy Valentine, manager of academic and philanthropic programs at Hytrol.
