Academics
Signature Programs
Business Plan Challenge
The annual business plan challenge that is a core component of RE’s AP Macroeconomics/ Microeconomics course allows students to delve into entrepreneurship, challenging them to think big, cross disciplines and tackle problems whose answers aren’t in a textbook. Calling upon their knowledge of science, math, the social sciences, arts and other disciplines, RE students work in teams to identify real problems, test hypotheses, conduct research, develop evidence-based solutions and communicate essential elements of their plans.
In recent years, students have put forth novel plans to address modern problems. One group created special glasses powered by electrochromic technology to alleviate photophobia symptoms caused by concussions. Another offered a plan for virtual reality headsets that use artificial intelligence to help recreate memories to enhance the cognitive ability of those with Alzheimer’s. An additional plan pitched a color-matching dental implant system that was already being tested in dentists’ offices.
Participants in the business challenge get invaluable feedback from RE alumni, who challenge them to improve their designs, marketing, financial projections and more.
Recent News
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Plan for high-tech water bottle wins Business Plan Challenge
A business plan for a solar-powered, eco-friendly, dual-filtration water bottle that tracks hydration earned first place at the 12th annual Ransom Everglades Business Challenge March 11 at Posner Lecture Hall. Nina Galinsky ’26 and Blake Langer ’26 offered a passionate and thoughtful pitch for “Solar Sip,” a high-tech water bottle that wowed the RE alumni panel of judges and advanced to the Innovate South Florida 2025 High School Business Plan Competition on April 10 at Miami Dade College.Read More -
Juniors win RE Business Plan Challenge with proposal for concussion glasses
Sydney Gould '25 and Rebecca Paresky '25 won the 2024 RE Business Plan Challenge with their proposal for NeuroView, special glasses powered by electrochromic technology that alleviate photophobia symptoms caused by concussions. With their selection on March 5 over four finalist student groups, Gould and Paresky advanced to the 2024 Innovate South Florida Business Plan Challenge on April 10.Read More -
Plan to help Alzheimer's patients wins RE Business Challenge
Jordan Gonzalez ’24 and Bryce Sadler ’24 unveiled a plan to combine virtual reality and artificial intelligence to improve the cognitive ability of those with Alzheimer’s during the 10th annual Ransom Everglades Business Plan Challenge on March 7. Their business plan – Remembered Reality – earned first place from the RE alumni judging panel, topping proposals from four other finalist teams. Their plan also prevailed at the Innovate South Florida 2023 High School Business Competition on April 19, winning the top prize among entries from eight private schools in South Florida.Read More -
Dental device wins RE business challenge
Read MorePablo Rodríguez-Russowsky '23, Dashiell DeStefano ‘22 and Max Vallone '22 won first place in the Ninth Annual Ransom Everglades Business Challenge with their proposal for DIMS, a color-matching dental implant system. Their proposal wowed the RE alumni judging panel and earned them a bid to the Innovate South Florida business plan competition among South Florida independent schools on April 13. -
Juniors are business plan champs – again
Read MoreThree weeks after winning RE’s annual business plan challenge, Diya Tekriwal ’22 and Dhilani Premaratne ’22 competed against 10 South Florida independent schools at the Innovate South Florida 2021 business competition on April 14.Once again, the pair earned first-place honors for their plan for HobbyBox, a monthly subscription box that would bring new hobbies to a customer's doorstep. -
HobbyBox prevails in RE Business Challenge
Diya Tekriwal ’22 and Dhilani Premaratne ’22 won first place in the eighth annual Ransom Everglades Business Challenge for their plan for HobbyBox, a monthly subscription designed to introduce teens and young adults to new hobbies. The pair topped a field of five finalist teams in the March 23 livestreamed event and the more than 40 that began the 2020-21 competition.Read More -
PetFit wins RE Business Plan Challenge
Three Ransom Everglades juniors who love their dogs and want to ensure their pets’ long-term wellbeing devised a harness equipped with electronics to monitor a dog’s health and location. Their plan for PetFit, unveiled during the 7th Annual Business Plan Challenge March 2 at the Pagoda, proved the favorite of an alumni panel of judges and advanced to the Innovate South Florida 2020 High School Business Plan Competition.Read More -
Seniors finish second in Herald business challenge
Holly Steinberg '19 and Nicole Bremer '19 finished in second place in the Teen Track of the 2019 Miami Herald Startup Pitch Competition with their business plan for CamBlok!, a simple product designed to foil digital hackers by covering a laptop's camera. Steinberg and Bremer worked on the project in their AP Macroeconomics/Microeconomics class under teacher Jen Nero. Read the full story from the April 29 edition of the Miami Herald here.Read More -
RE team advances to Herald business competition
Holly Steinberg '19 and Nicole Bremer '19 finished second in the Innovate South Florida business challenge for private schools at Miami Dade College-Wolfson April 10. The pair, which pitched a proposal for CamBlock!, a sleek, movable cover for laptop cameras designed to thwart cyber-mischief, qualified for the finals of the 2019 Miami Herald Startup Pitch Competition on April 17.Read More -
Laptop camera cover wins Biz Challenge
Holly Steinberg '19 and Nicole Bremer '19 won the Sixth Annual RE Business Challenge on March 4 at the Pagoda with Steinberg's clear and persuasive pitch for CamBlock!, a sleek, movable cover for laptop cameras designed to thwart cyber-mischief. The pair will represent Ransom Everglades at the Innovate South Florida competition at Miami Dade College-Wolfson in April. Luisa Guarco '19, Makenzie Love '19 and Khushi Shah '19 finished second with SpoonAble, a design for an innovative spoon to help people with hand tremors.Read More
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Jen Nero, Chair of the Humanities Department
“[Today] you can’t be just a specialist in economics, or just a mathematician, or just a writer. The challenges facing our students when they go out in the world today will require dramatic creativity, intellectual fluidity and the resilience to keep trying when they fail … Entrepreneurship is the quintessential interdisciplinary experience.”
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
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Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.
Ransom Everglades School®, The RE Way™, RE Pathways™ and Bowden Fellowships in the Humanities™ are trademarks of Ransom Everglades School.
Ransom Everglades School®, The RE Way™, RE Pathways™ and Bowden Fellowships in the Humanities™ are trademarks of Ransom Everglades School.