SCH Senior Clinches Top Spot in Expop Entrepreneurial Challenge

After six months of rigorous business modeling, market testing, and pitching, the results are in: Colin Salas ’26 is the first-place winner of Expop, an entrepreneurial competition for young adults that challenges students to build a business from the ground up.

Salas conceived of and built Soothe Pops, a fruit-flavored wellness popsicle for kids infused with chamomile, in SCH's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL). Along with the $2,500 Expop prize as seed funding to further his venture, the Penn-bound senior, chosen from hundreds of students, will also have the opportunity to learn from entrepreneurs this summer at the Wharton School.

“Colin started his venture in the CEL 9th-grade product design class, and he had this one-of-a-kind idea,” says CEL teacher Juliet Fajardo. “He went on to develop Soothe Pops over the rest of his high school career, putting in long hours, hard work, and determination.”

Salas credits the support system that helped him navigate the competitive field.

"I am so grateful for this opportunity and lucky to be a part of such an incredible program," he said, noting that Expop helped him focus on the product he brought to the program in the fall. "Also, thank you to SCH and the CEL program for helping me with my entrepreneurial journey!"

The CEL fosters innovation, providing students like Salas with the toolkit necessary to compete at a professional level before even setting foot on a college campus.

Watch the announcement here.