High school students in Achieve Miami’s Achieve Scholars program delivered Shark Tank-style pitches, presenting original ideas before panels of local business and community leaders.
(Photo credit: Achieve & Lazaro Llanes Creative)

From tackling global issues to pitching entrepreneurial business ideas, more than 400 Miami-Dade County public school students took to the stage during the Achieve Summer Showcase, presenting innovative solutions to real-world challenges after a summer of hands-on learning through Achieve Summer, a program led by Miami-based education nonprofit Achieve Miami.

Achieve Miami is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for students across Miami-Dade County by bringing together schools, volunteers, businesses, and community partners through innovative learning programs.

Achieve Summer is the organization’s six-week academic enrichment program, combining project-based learning, mentorship, leadership development, and educational experiences that help students strengthen academic skills while building confidence, creativity, and career readiness.

Achieve Miami’s Summer Showcase, hosted on July 17 across several Miami-Dade school campuses – including Caribbean K-8 Center, Riverside Elementary, and Lake Stevens Elementary – invited educators, business leaders, and community partners to experience firsthand how students applied what they learned through research, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

Inspired by Miami’s role in this summer’s World Cup and Achieve Miami’s broader collaboration with FIFA, elementary and middle school participants, known as “Little Buddies,” transformed their classrooms into interactive exhibits representing countries from around the world.

Through projects focused on sustainability, natural disasters, food insecurity, engineering, and cultural traditions, students explored global issues while developing solutions with local relevance.

High school students in Achieve Miami’s Achieve Scholars program delivered Shark Tank-style pitches, presenting original ideas before panels of local business and community leaders.

“When students are given the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges, collaborate with mentors, and present their ideas to community leaders, they discover just how much they are capable of,” said Leslie Miller Saiontz, founder of Achieve Miami. “Achieve Summer is about much more than keeping students engaged during the summer; it’s about building confidence, developing future leaders, and showing young people that their ideas can make a meaningful impact in their communities.”

Professionals from across South Florida volunteered as judges and mentors, providing feedback and encouragement while evaluating student presentations. Participating organizations included FIFA, Morgan Stanley, Kirk Foundation, Millennium, Breakthrough Miami SkillBuild, Hope for Miami, Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works, Rednop MG, Touching Miami with Love, the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, and Barbot Property Management.

Throughout the six-week program, students strengthened literacy, STEM, leadership, and teamwork skills through project-based learning while exploring South Florida on educational field trips to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, and Zoo Miami.

The showcase reflects Achieve Miami’s broader mission to expand educational opportunities and prepare students for success both inside and outside the classroom. By connecting young people with educators, mentors, volunteers, and business leaders, the nonprofit creates hands-on learning experiences that help students build the academic, leadership, and life skills needed to thrive in school and beyond.

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