Searcy High School student Duaa Choudhary earned the top prize in the 2026 Arkansas Tech University High School Business Challenge, which concluded with final presentations before a panel of judges on Thursday, April 9.
Participants were asked to develop a business start-up or expansion idea.
Choudhary earned first place and $500 with her idea for the “Scrunchie Stasher.”
Bentonville High School students Vishwaksen Paramkusham, Joel Johnson, Suhtuth Akuthota and Harsimran Gill finished second and won $250 with their concept entitled “Technovate.”
Thirteen Arkansas high school students advanced to the finals, which took place at Doc Bryan Student Services Center Lecture Hall on the ATU campus in Russellville.
Additional finalists were Mya Martinez and Zaylee Gonzalez of Rogers Heritage High School, Chris Huang and Weiran Chen of Haas Hall Academy in Fayetteville, Yukta Pandiri, Tejaswini Gaddam and Adit Singh of Bentonville High School and Tyler Scott of North Little Rock High School.
Pope County Farm Bureau, Textbook Brokers and the ATU LeMoyne Smith School of Business were the sponsors of the 2026 ATU High School Business Challenge.
ATU faculty members Dr. Stephen Jones and Cass Capen-Housley as well as Matt Lundy from the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center regional office at ATU served as judges for the finals.
Visit www.atu.edu/business to learn more about the ATU College of Business and Economic Development.
