Lucia Hash discovered a wonderful way to overcome shyness. The St. Francis Catholic High School junior became an entrepreneur.

“I’m a person who gets very nervous, and that was holding me back,” she says. “This taught me to just go for it, and it was totally worth it.”

Hash’s breakthrough came during a pitch competition organized by a school club, Junior Achievement Entrepreneurship. The club partners with the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Hash delivered the winning pitch for her invention, a carryall called the Everything Backpack. Her future may not include entrepreneurship—she hopes to become a biotech engineer—but she knows salesmanship skills never hurt.

She joined the entrepreneurship club “because I thought learning about business would make me more prepared for the future.”

Hash isn’t alone. Many classmates are signing up for the club as the new school year begins.

MaryAnne Kelly, advancement director for St. Francis, says the entrepreneurship club expanded since last year, when the school first partnered with Women Business Owners and Junior Achievement.

“We went into last year a little bit blind, but it all came together wonderfully,” Kelly says. “There’s just something about the Troubie spirit and women who like to compete and be successful that makes this club on our campus a great fit.”

The club encourages young women to consider entrepreneurship as a career by providing them with tools and training on marketing, finance and other necessities to start a business.

About 80 St. Francis students attended monthly meetings last school year. Nine created concepts for a “Shark Tank” pitch competition that brings together high school students from across the region to pitch inventions to a panel of local business leaders.

“We already have nine student leaders lined up to serve roles such as chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief marketing officer, head of business development and other key leadership roles in the 2024-25 club,” Kelly says.

The interest led to involvement from area entrepreneurs such as Christopher Johnson, who appeared on the TV show “Shark Tank” with his Rapid Ramen Cooker. Johnson spoke to the St. Francis club last school year and will return to offer more encouragement and insight.

“Students come to St. Francis to push themselves and grow in different ways,” says Hash, who plays volleyball and takes several AP classes.

“Whether or not the goal is to launch a business, this club definitely pushes us to do something different, to look at and learn all of the skills it takes to start a business.”

Liliana Bernal, past president of the Women Business Owners local chapter, recognizes the importance of teaching young women entrepreneurial skills.

She calls the collaboration between St. Francis and the business owners “a shining example of how community partnerships can foster the next generation of leaders. Particularly young women who haven’t always been told that they can be business owners, inventors and entrepreneurs.”

The collaboration already includes several area high schools. Bernal says the program is eager to expand with women business owners supporting young entrepreneurs.

“Our goal is to eventually include underserved high schools in the region, where the need to see entrepreneurship in action is so important,” she says. “We want to encourage students to follow their dreams and consider entrepreneurship.”

Lucia Hash agrees. She says, “Even if I didn’t win, I still would have gotten so much out of the experience.”