Four high school students gathered around a table at CSU Monterey Bay on April 29, brainstorming ideas for a business. They decided to design an app to help users of the local public transportation system.

They and 25 other students from Monterey and Seaside high schools had four hours to research and develop effective, real-world business plans for a new enterprise of their own design. Seven teams took part.

The competition was the culmination of a program that started earlier in the year at the high schools. CSU Monterey Bay business majors and community volunteers presented Junior Achievement’s seven-week classroom-based program, “Be Entrepreneurial,” preparing the students for the Business Plan Challenge.

Junior Achievement is a hands-on program that teaches work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Students learn about finances, supply chain, customer service and marketing. The Business Plan Challenge allowed them to implement what they had learned.

“JA helps students understand how an idea becomes a practical venture,” said Taran Barca-Hall, regional director of Junior Achievement of Northern California. “It’s very much a real-world entrepreneurship program.

“We realize most students won’t be entrepreneurs, but the program teaches them to think critically, like an entrepreneur. It will help them in the future.”

With $40,000 funding from AT&T, the pilot project got under way this year. The plan is to expand to more schools and include more students – high school students and CSUMB business majors – starting in the fall. The program was the vision of Dr. Bettye Saxon, a long-time supporter of Junior Achievement who currently chairs the organization’s board. She had long wanted to bring high schools, CSUMB and the non-profit together, she said. Saxon is area manager, External Affairs at AT&T. When she submitted the grant application, “It went through flawlessly,” she told the students. “I’m happy I got to see a vision come together.” Top finishers at the Business Plan Challenge:

1st Place: “MST Go”

To improve public transportation inMonterey County and provide Monterey-Salinas Transit riders with easy-to-access tools and information, the students behind “MST Go” proposed a transportation app to be rolled out in cooperation with MST. The user-friendly system would provide bus tracking via GPS and a virtual bus card to enable payment via credit or debit card. The app would provide real-time updates on bus locations, arrival times and schedules as well as interactive route guidance to help riders better plan routes and transfers.

Team members: Vidal Ballesteros Martinez, Seaside High; Elena Garcia, Monterey High; Jacqueline Blythe Mayes, Monterey High; Bryan Martinez Vasquez, Seaside High

2nd Place: “Pandora’s Box”

Subscription-based delivery service shipping quality foreign candies to customers who are curious about savoring treats from around the world.

Team members: Jonathon Cabrera, Monterey High; Tatiana Cabrera, Monterey High; Nicole Peterson, Seaside High; Fernando Avina, Monterey High

3rd Place: “Picasso Paintballing”

Re-purpose former military facility in Seaside to develop a paintball center to provide a safe and fun recreation alternative for customers of all ages, with a particular focus on youth and teens.

Team members: Joaquin Ortega, Seaside High; Mari Carmen Diaz, Monterey High; Michael Cortez, Monterey High; Marion Ramos, Seaside High; Justin Doolittle, Seaside High