Next week, a new generation of innovators will take the stage in Wheeling.
On Wednesday, March 11th, students from Wheeling Country Day School‘s middle school will present their original business ideas during the inaugural Youth Show of Hands, a student-led entrepreneurial showcase hosted in partnership with Wheeling Heritage at the Wheeling Artisan Center.
Modeled after Wheeling Heritage’s long-running Show of Hands program, now in its twelfth year, the event invites students to develop and pitch creative ideas to a live audience. Community members attending the event will cast votes for their favorite project with a $5 donation, with all proceeds supporting Wheeling Country Day School.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and presentations will begin at 6 p.m.
How the Idea Started
The idea for a youth version of Show of Hands began last fall when Wheeling Country Day School educator Joe Jividen reached out to me.
Joe shared that their middle school students participate in an entrepreneurial deep dive as part of their curriculum. As someone who attends Show of Hands events whenever he can, he wondered what it might look like to create a student version of the program.
When he asked if Wheeling Heritage would be interested in partnering on something like that, my answer was a loud and resounding, “Let’s do it!!”
Before joining Wheeling Heritage, I spent almost a decade working in public education, so the opportunity to connect entrepreneurship, creativity, and real-world experience for students was incredibly exciting for me.
At the time Joe reached out, I had already been thinking about ways something like this could work. In 2024, I had even developed a youth-focused curriculum based on the Show of Hands model. When Joe and I began talking, I was able to share those ideas and adapt them to fit the entrepreneurial work his students were already doing in the classroom.
From there, we met several times to talk through logistics, expectations, and how we could recreate the energy of a traditional Show of Hands event while making it meaningful and manageable for students. I even got the opportunity to go out and present to the students and then go hands-on for an afternoon to brainstorm and get them excited!
Joe’s enthusiasm and drive to make it happen, paired with my excitement to bring the concept to life, made for a great collaboration.
And now, it’s happening.
A Youth Version of Show of Hands
For those unfamiliar, Show of Hands is a community-supported crowdfunding event where four pre-selected projects pitch their ideas live, and audience members donate $5 to cast a vote. The project with the most votes takes home all of the money raised that night, along with additional support from community partners, to bring their idea to life.
Youth Show of Hands is designed to mirror that experience as closely as possible.
That means students will step up to the microphone, share their ideas, and pitch them to a live audience, just like the entrepreneurs who present at our regular events! Audience members will vote to decide which business idea they favor the most!
The main difference? These ideas are coming from students.
“Youth Show of Hands gives our students the opportunity to take ownership of their ideas and experience the full entrepreneurial process—from concept to pitch,” said Joe Jividen of Wheeling Country Day School. “We are grateful to partner with Wheeling Heritage and to invite the community to be part of supporting young innovators.”
And honestly, you never know. Some of today’s student ideas could easily turn into tomorrow’s real-world businesses.
Learning Skills That Last
While the event itself will be a fun and exciting night, the real value is in everything the students have already experienced leading up to it.
Throughout the process, they’ve worked together to brainstorm ideas, refine their concepts, and prepare their presentations. For many of them, this will be their first time presenting in front of a large audience.
Public speaking is a skill that can feel intimidating at any age, but the more opportunities people have to practice it, the more confident they become. That experience alone is invaluable.
At Wheeling Heritage, we’re also increasingly focused on listening to the ideas and perspectives of the next generation. These students will be the ones shaping our communities in the decades ahead, and events like this give them the chance to start thinking about how they want to contribute.
An Evening of Community and Creativity
The evening will feature more than just student presentations. Guests will enjoy light snacks provided by Wheeling Country Day School, live music by Melody Petras, and a professionally produced event experience with full audio-visual support and a livestream for those who want to watch remotely. While the event will be streamed online, voting will take place in person.
We hope the community will come out to support these students, hear their ideas, and experience what happens when young people are given the opportunity to think big!
Event Details
Wednesday, March 11th
Wheeling Artisan Center (3rd Floor)
Doors open: 5:30 p.m.
Presentations begin: 6 p.m.
Admission is $5, which includes one vote toward your favorite student pitch.
For more information and updates, visit the Wheeling Country Day School FB Event.
