10th PITCH-ER THIS! competition crowns Mt. Pleasant High School funding to combat vaping in schools

What Happened: The United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties hosted their 10th Annual PITCH-ER THIS! Youth Venture Competition on Saturday, February 22 at the CMU College of Medicine Auditorium. Six student teams from four local school districts participated. These students from sixth to 12th grade pitched their community improvement ideas to a panel of "celebrity" judges and an engaged audience, with goals to make a positive difference in local communities throughout Isabella and Gratiot counties. 

Courtesy United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties

The annual competition challenges youth to develop creative solutions to local community issues. On the day of the event, each team is required to present a project which is aligned with one of United Way’s impact areas: healthy lifestyles, quality education, or financial stability. After conducting a five-to-ten-minute presentation detailing their idea—including their proposal’s need, cost, and timeline—students then create a table display with creative visuals and interactive elements to engage with judges and community members.

Ultimately, United Way funds the top pitches based on judge scores and audience votes. This year, a total of $14,475 was awarded to support student-led initiatives.

Courtesy United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties

Who Won: First place went to the team named “Ashley Art Express" for their plan to create a community art sculpture which celebrates their village’s history and annual Country Christmas program. The “Pine River Protectors” from Alma Public Schools earned second place for their impactful environmental outreach project. 

Mt. Pleasant High School’s team “Unclouded Minds" was awarded third place for their initiative to install vape smoke detectors in school bathrooms, with a goal of creating a safer and healthier environment after discovering that 13.7% of Michigan high school students use e-cigarettes. The Mt. Pleasant team consisted of 10th grade students Yame Osakue and David Ikekhuah. They won $4,850 in funding from United Way to install vape detectors in their school bathrooms.

Courtesy United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties

What They’re Saying: “Yame and David are setting a powerful example for their peers with their forward-thinking approach to a nationwide issue,” shares Brittany Stoneman, community impact manager at United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties. “Their dedication to student well-being is creating lasting change, inspiring others to take action within their school community."

Courtesy United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties

Courtesy United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties

Who Were The Judges: The 2025 PITCH-ER THIS! Youth Venture Competition judges included Tyler Barron, community affairs manager at Invenergy; Josh Cromer, electric meter operations field leader at Consumers Energy; Curtis Dancer, finance director & treasurer for the City of Alma; Shana Dancer, owner, therapist, and yoga instructor at ZenLightenment Wellness Center; Katie List, recruiting specialist at KMG Prestige; Jared Macha, branch manager at Isabella Bank; Dr. Peter Tacia, doctor of optometry at Alma Optics; Dr. Shreya Wachob, pediatrician at MyMichigan Health; and Kasey Zehner, vice president at Greater Gratiot Development, Inc.

Courtesy United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties

Why It’s Important: Since the PITCH-ER THIS! Youth Venture Competition’s inception, United Way has invested over $115,000 in youth-led community improvements. Last year’s first place winners pitched an idea around the power of public art — a project which came to fruition in downtown Mt. Pleasant last fall (learn more about the initiative here). In 2023, a team of sixth graders from Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart Academy were awarded a $5,000 grant proposal to provide a new grill for the Isabella County Commission on Aging; discover more about their pitch and others’ from that competition here. Year over year, youth ideas continue to drive meaningful change in their communities.