SEPTA Documentary and Plant Pot Covers Win Big at CEL Awards

From the transit lines of Philadelphia to the bedside of pediatric cardiac patients, SCH sophomores have spent months solving real-world problems. This past Thursday, the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) celebrated the culmination of the sophomore Capstone class where students transform personal passions into tangible ventures.

Supported by nearly a dozen faculty mentors, every sophomore relies on the business, design, and technology skills honed in CEL to launch a unique project. For those looking to take their ideas even further, the journey doesn't end here; many will continue their work through the Venture Accelerator program in their junior and senior years.

“Our Capstone winners showcased a wide range of vision this year. From technical mastery to community-driven filmmaking, it was inspiring to see their concepts evolve from simple seeds into impactful final projects,” said Ed Glassman, director of the CEL.

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Sands Award. This honor is reserved for students who embody the four entrepreneurial pillars: Resiliency, Opportunity Seeking, Resourcefulness, and Creativity. This year, two standout projects shared the spotlight for their commitment and execution.

Potswap: Reimagining the Garden: Mars Barbieri & Ari Block

Founded by students Mars Barbieri and Ari, PotSwap creates 3D-printed $25 decorative covers that "dress up" standard terracotta pots. “PotSwap is designer ingenuity applied to everyday living,” says Block in the venture pitch video. “Less waste. More expression.”

"Mars and Ari's PotSwap planter covers are a uniquely creative and innovative idea that they started in 9th grade,” said CEL teacher Juliet Fajardo during the awards presentation. "This year, PotSwap became a business with multiple designs, branding, sales efforts, and a fantastic pitch."

“We Need SEPTA,” Documenting Community Needs: Edward Berman

The second Sands Award went to Edward Berman’s documentary capturing everyday SEPTA riders’ firsthand experiences, revealing how service cuts ripple through Philadelphia life. Berman spotlights how Philadelphia transit plays an essential role in reducing traffic and connecting communities.

Teacher Adam Butz-Weidner praised the project’s depth and the creator’s growth: "You’ve grown not just as a filmmaker, but as an interviewer, as an investigator, as a connector. The result is a documentary that is ambitious in scope."

While the Sands Award highlighted two specific ventures, the room was filled with diverse solutions to modern challenges, including a digital platform providing a lifeline for pediatric heart patients and their families, a political engagement nonprofit for young people, and the invention of a device that can sit on your shoulder and detect rapidly approaching objects.

These projects represent the heart of the CEL mission: developing an entrepreneurial mindset and empowering students to think beyond the classroom.

Awards & Projects

Resiliency (Infinity) Award: 
Birdie McNichols - Volume I

Awarded to the student team that demonstrated the most resiliency throughout their Capstone project. These students encountered setbacks and obstacles throughout their work, but refused to give up. This prize is ideally awarded to a student team that plans to continue their work beyond the Capstone program.

Volume I is a bold student-created album and companion zine that explores genres, and pairs original music with a listening guide that frames how to hear it. Built entirely from scratch, it documents a first-time process—learning to record, layer, and assemble an album and zine through dedicated hands-on experimentation in the studio.

Opportunity (Delphi) Award:
Jose Martinez Toledo & Yaphet Mesesha - Storyhill Productions
Benje Whitman - First Steps Civics

Awarded to the student team that identified the most interesting opportunity of all Capstone projects. This prize is intended for a student team that seeks to both solve a problem and to make a broad, real-world impact with their solution. This prize would, ideally, be awarded to a student team that identified an opportunity independently, rather than from a list of project prompts.

Storyhill is a commercial production company that helps local businesses reach larger audiences. While 85% of small businesses rely primarily on word of mouth, we create high-quality advertisements designed to extend their reach and increase their impact.

First Step Civics is a non-profit organization dedicated to making political engagement accessible for high school students, by connecting ambitious young people with meaningful opportunities to make a difference.

Resourceful (MacGyver) Award:
Ian Kim - Iris Safe Sensor
Niara Howell - Strut Heels

Awarded to the student or student team that went "beyond the classroom" in pursuit of their Capstone project. These students sought resources and knowledge that weren't readily available. Perhaps they worked with external mentors or utilized tools and technologies in a unique and inventive fashion. This prize would be awarded to a student team that made great use of everything they had. This includes, of course, labor - everyone pulled their own weight and made great use of both in-class and out-of-class time.

Iris Safe Sensor is device that can detect rapidly approaching object and warn the wearable with helpful vibrations to protect vulnerable populations walking in busy cities.

Strut Heels is a shoe company focused on creating fashionable shoes with adjustable straps to benefit women with wide feet who struggle to find cute shoes.

Creativity (Da Vinci) Award: 
Ella McShane & Grace Konow - Renew Beauty

Awarded to the student team that approached their Capstone project with the most creativity. This prize has two interpretations, either of which can be applied according to student merit. The first is a student team that took a creative approach to solving a difficult problem. They looked at the problem with a unique perspective and developed an elegant solution. The second would be a student or student team whose Capstone project demonstrates outstanding artistic accomplishment.

Renew Beauty is a makeup company that reduces product waste through use of magnetic palettes and contour sticks.  This allows people to buy only the colors they need, and also easily swap out what colors they want in their palette

STUDIO AWARDS

App: Maddie Seidman & Isabel Salmon for Campus Compass
Invention: Adam Lane for EpiArmor 
Alana Houston for Glow Guard
New Media: Charlotte Brown for  Rechoired
Abby Topaz for KindleCub
Social Impact: Ethan Monberg for Cancer Compass 
Lily McManus for Heart Link
Startup: Devon Donato & Charlie Fuld for Fuel SCHtation
Joe Ferguson & Corin Cooper for Ease Up