Local High School Students Shine as Winners in 2025 BIG Idea Competition

Steve Jurrens
3 days ago
2 min read

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - High school entrepreneurs from Watertown and the surrounding region have achieved notable success in the 2025 BIG Idea Competition, with students from Webster, Groton, and Northwestern High Schools securing victories in the prestigious special categories.

The BIG Idea Competition invites high school students to submit and develop business ideas, with sponsors selecting top entries in specialty categories before the final awards ceremony.

Area Students Win Special Categories

Several local students were recognized as category winners and will be invited to present their elevator pitches at the final event in December:

· Hometown Business Category Winner: Pretty Paws Staycation by Macee McGregor and Bentley Miotke of Webster High School. This category, sponsored by the SD Retailers Association, focuses on businesses that enhance their local communities.

o Advisor: Jessica McGregor.

· AG Innovation Category Winner: Boekelheide Airborne Mosquito Spraying by Ty Boekelheide of Northwestern High School. The SD Agriculture Foundation sponsors this agricultural-focused award.

o Advisor: Alexz Peterson-Smith.

· Makers Category Winner: EV Evolution by Zander Harry of Groton High School. This category, sponsored by Blackout Industries, recognizes innovative ideas in manufacturing and physical creation.

o Advisor: Eric Swenson.

Watertown Students Named Finalists

Watertown High School also celebrated the success of its students who were named Finalists in the overall competition.

· Sizzle Shakk by Max Lauseng, Chris McCormick, and Kolbe Mohling.

· The Hair Lair by Ashley Bubacz.

o Advisor: Tom Lenox.

Additional nearby finalists include Bloom by Brynn Kindelspire of Tri-Valley High School.

Final Event Details

All category winners and finalists will be invited to participate in the final competition and present their elevator pitches at the BIG Idea Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, December 10, at Northern State University in Aberdeen.

The Awards Ceremony will be held at 1:00 p.m. at the Johnson Fine Arts Center and is open to the public.