During the 2026 tecBRIDGE High School Business Plan Competition, four of the five finalist teams came from the Greater Hazleton Area. Mariannyi Brache Minaya and Libio Espiritu-Santo, both from Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences, created Skill Sprout, a supervised, merit-based side hustle app for teens that safely connects high schoolers with local jobs while addressing parent safety concerns through GPS tracking, verification processes, account oversight, and dual authorization. To celebrate this accomplishment, we caught up with them to hear more about their journey so far.
For those who may not know you, please share your full name, the school you represent, and why you chose to participate in this year’s competition.
Mariannyi Brache Minaya: Hi! My name is Mariannyi Brache Minaya from the Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. I chose to participate in the tecBRIDGE High School Business Plan Competition because I was curious and wanted to try something different to see the business side of the world around us.
Libio Espiritu-Santo: Hello, I am Libio Espiritu-Santo, I represent the Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences, and I decided to participate in this years competition because my guidance counselor, Mrs. Hopkins, recommended it to me and I have many interests in business.
How does it feel to represent the Hazleton community?
Mariannyi Brache Minaya: It’s an honor to represent Hazleton. There’s many hardworking families here and many ambitious students who just need the right opportunities to grow. tecBRIDGE is a fantastic way to earn those new experiences while being yourself. This is an amazing community with great potential.
Libio Espiritu-Santo: I feel honored to represent my community especially since me and my partner are representing the Dominican community within Hazleton as well.
What does this opportunity mean to you?
Mariannyi Brache Minaya: This opportunity meant a lot. As it was very fundamental to my growth. I am very thankful for my partner Libio, the advisors and Mrs. Hopkins, the team that was always there to support us and give us honest feedback, that helped us to reach our goals and perform better, and we will take that guidance with us forever.
Libio Espiritu-Santo: I am extremely thankful for this opportunity because of all the learning I have received. Also to be able to see everyone else’s presentation was really fun and interesting to me as well.
Can you describe your journey to reaching this stage of the competition?
Mariannyi Brache Minaya: It was a long journey with deep research and lots of refinement. We started with a very small idea to help our peers find jobs that were non-demanding, then we realized the importance of safety. Coming up with our concept was challenging but rewarding as it all came together.
Libio Espiritu-Santo: My journey to this stage has been very fun, listening to my advisor’s advice, and revising my presentation. I can’t say I achieved anything without the help of God, firstly, my partner, Mariannyi, and my advisors.
What advice would you give to students interested in joining the High School Business Plan Competition next year?
Mariannyi Brache Minaya: You should totally join. It’s a great opportunity. It’s super fun coming up with ideas and even the ones you think are small can open many doors to you. Don’t be afraid to explore and share your rewards with others. My biggest advice is to not just pick an idea because it sounds fancy or cool, find a solution for something that you really care about.
Libio Espiritu-Santo: I would advise anyone interested in the High School Business Plan Competition next year to listen to everything your advisors say to do every part of your project with your partner. Listening is essential to a successful project.
For more information about tecBRIDGE’s High School Business Plan Competition, contact Ana Perez at aperez@hazletoncando.com.
