News

Corey Buchman Named 2025 Young Innovator of the Year

Corey Buchman, a senior at MMI Preparatory School, earned the 2025 Young Innovator of the Year award by the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce. The award, sponsored annually by the CAN BE Innovation Center, was presented to Corey on May 27 at the Chamber’s 49th Annual Academic Achievement Awards Banquet held at Carmen’s Country Inn & Gardens.

Corey won the award in recognition of his exceptional commitment to entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation throughout his high school career. Over the past two years, Corey participated in the tecBRIDGE High School Business Plan Competition, first earning top honors in 2024 with his AI-powered public speaking platform, Presify, and then returning in 2025 as a finalist with LawnEase, an on-demand lawn care platform that connects homeowners with local service providers.

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Greater Hazleton Area Students Win Big at tecBRIDGE High School Business Plan Competition

Students from the Greater Hazleton area made a strong showing at this year’s tecBRIDGE High School Business Plan Competition, earning top honors at the recent Awards Ceremony. Their success reflects the region’s growing culture of innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit of its youth.

Sharan Parikh and Rishi Patel, students at MMI Preparatory School, took home first place with their innovative venture, HealthHue – a biodegradable, infection-detecting bandage made from sustainable materials. Judges were impressed by the product’s combination of healthcare innovation and environmental consciousness. Their win also marks the first time in competition history a regional high school maintained back-to-back champions.

Fellow MMI student Kiyan Paknezhad earned third place for his project, EmPower – a 3D-printed, myoelectric prosthetic hand named the MK1 H.A.N.D. Designed to provide full finger mobility and customizable features at a lower cost, EmPower aims to make advanced prosthetics more accessible to those in need.

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Retro Dough co-founder John Carsia steps into new role at Kitchen Incubator to support fellow food entrepreneurs

The Hazleton Kitchen Incubator is excited to announce that John Carsia, co-founder of Retro Dough: Pierogi and Specialty Foods, LLC, has been named its new Kitchen Manager. As both a current tenant and now a resource to others, John is uniquely positioned to support fellow food entrepreneurs as they launch and grow their businesses.

A Hazle Twp. native, Carsia joined the Hazleton Kitchen in 2023 to bring his longtime culinary dream to life through Retro Dough, a nostalgic food business focused on pierogi, Italian cookies, and small-scale event catering. Now, in his new role, he’ll help others navigate the same journey he’s on: offering support with compliance, scheduling, kitchen operations, and more.

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CAN DO’s Jocelyn Sterenchock named tecBRIDGE Bill McNally Mentor of the Year

Jocelyn Sterenchock, Director of Economic Development at Greater Hazleton CAN DO, Inc., has been named the recipient of the Bill McNally Mentor of the Year Award, presented by tecBRIDGE. She will be honored at the tecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition Awards event on May 1^st at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre.

A passionate advocate for economic development and entrepreneurship, Sterenchock has played a vital role in shaping opportunities for aspiring business owners, students, and professionals across Greater Hazleton. Through her work at CAN DO, the CAN BE Innovation Center, and other organizations throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania, she has supported nearly 500 entrepreneurial ventures, many involving historically disadvantaged business owners, and has spearheaded key initiatives like the Downtown Hazleton Kitchen Incubator and The Hazleton Innovation Collaborative (THInC).

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