Student Entrepreneurs Hope For "Pop Up" Success

MIAMI (CBS4) - As school winds down in South Florida, some high school students plan to use their summer vacation to focus on their plans for the future and life even beyond college.

"You always have to think big no matter what the idea is," Anthony Stewart said.

Stewart was one of 18 local students participating in a "pop-up" entrepreneurship event in Midtown Miami Sunday.

"Pop-up stores are what's happening now," event organizer Marcia Anderson said.

The young entrepreneurs from three local high schools worked for six weeks on a course called "Pop-Up Exposure: Links to Leadership, Excellence and Entrepreneurship Program." The results of their hard work were eight different products they hoped to one day see on store shelves.

One group created a shoe that goes from a flat to a stiletto.

"It's brilliant," Anderson said. "It could go worldwide. It's called the Click Heel."

Another team made up of two sophomores and a junior developed an app that seems like it's straight from the future.

"It's an iPhone app that lets you communicate with a distant relative or loved one in a hologram form using the 5 senses," co-creator Dallas Smith explained.

"This is just a great opportunity for us to get our ideas out in the public in the market," Christy Sharnel said as she presented her idea to voters.

The students created idea boards, produced videos and delivered live product pitches to those strolling by their displays.

"These kids are with it, they're bright," Anderson said. "They're entrepreneurs anyway and so we just brought them a new concept which is a pop up business."

The creators of "Hologram Me" were the big winners. They walked away with iPads and a plan to pitch their product to Apple.