Promise Academy Scholars Tackle Black Mental Health, Take Top Spot in iDEAS by Youth Entrepreneurship Competition

For years, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, suicide rates have been increasing among Black children and adolescents. At the same time, mental health resources remain out of reach for many.

A team of Promise Academy High School scholars are combining entrepreneurism and empathy to tackle this issue head on — and won a top spot in a major national competition for their ingenuity.

Elijah Grace, Megan Ford, Salimah Fadiga, and Allae Huskey took third place in the iDEAS by Youth Entrepreneurship Competition 2022 for their company, Heal the World.  

We couldn’t be prouder of this team of young entrepreneurs. They are making a positive impact on their community while building the leadership, business, and public speaking skills needed to succeed in college and their careers.

Heal the World

The Promise Academy High School team designed their company after weeks of research into mental health issues in the Black community. They found that while rates of anxiety, depression, and sucide have increased during the pandemic, many people suffering from these issues remain cut off from treatment.

To confront this problem, they launched Heal the World. The curated package of health and wellness products and services is designed to make mental health and self-care resources more accessible and affordable to the Black community and others in need.

iDEAS by Youth Entrepreneurship Competition

Launched by Dignity of Children, iDEAS by Youth Entrepreneurship Competition invited high school students across the country to make a positive change by creating a new business that tackles a pressing social problem. 

Promise Academy High School scholars Elijah, Megan, Salimah, Allae, and Jesu participated in an 8-week entrepreneurship program to learn how to build a business, create a prototype, and present it to a panel of experts in a “Shark Tank”-style format for a chance to win $2,500 and a 6-month business mentorship. The team of young entrepreneurs made their pitches to business professionals online, earning praise from the judges and the third-place prize.