PIKESVILLE, Md. — There’s so much for a high school junior to think about.
Phoebe Taylor, a student at Roland Park Country School in Baltimore City, thinks big. She has a plan to engage the next generation on the environment.
"I’m kind of nervous - I’m really excited I have this opportunity to share my ideas in front of all these people," said Phoebe Taylor, a student at Roland Park Country School.
Taylor and other Baltimore-area students earned funding for their altruistic ideas, 'Shark Tank' style, through an organization called Philanthropy Tank. The structure of the Wednesday event was similar to the popular show.
"I would be going to Baltimore City Public Schools, specifically the fourth graders, and educating them about different aspects of the environment," Taylor explained.
Students apply in the fall to become a part of the program, pitch their ideas, and a committee selects finalists - who get at least $1,000 for taking part.
The young leaders stepped on stage and pitched their ideas to mentors from local organizations and businesses. Each one was eligible to get thousands to help fund their ideas.
"We help fund those programs and mentor them - to successfully implement and then try to sustain those programs over a long period of time," said Evan Deoul, Philanthropy Tank's co-founder.
The organization operates in Maryland and Florida. They’ve awarded students over $700,000 over the last eight years.
"[The students are] really not constrained by very much. They’ve got big ideas, not a lot of barriers - and the question is, how do we feed in with that and help them accomplish it," Deoul added.
This was the organization’s first in-person event in Baltimore; past events were limited due to the pandemic.
The four student groups received a total of $37,000.
