Students from Liberty Partnerships Program, a school in the Bronx, were named the winners of a citywide “Battle of the Boroughs” competition that introduced high school students to careers in financial services on Friday, Dec. 13, at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business.
Competing students from high schools across New York City were tasked with creating a product or service that celebrates and builds a sense of community in New York City. The Liberty Partnerships Program students from the Bronx won the Battle of the Boroughs competition for glasses that help translate what others say into different languages so that all New Yorkers can understand each other.
The primary goal of the event is to create a diverse talent pipeline in the financial services industry by involving students in an exercise that immerses them in the world of business. Financial services sponsors guided the student “CEOs” in developing products and services designed to foster community within the city.
The event was put together by SuitUp, an organization that works to equip students for life beyond the classroom by developing, organizing and implementing engaging educational competitions in communities across the country and beyond. This was the organization’s third annual Battle of the Boroughs competition, which was held in partnership with Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business and Fordham Foundry.
Each school’s idea included a profit margin, a three-year financial model and a list of key performance indicators meant to measure success. A winning school was named for each borough before they faced off head-to-head in the finals, with the Liberty Partnerships Program in the Bronx being victorious.
In addition to the Liberty Partnerships Program in the Bronx, the other participating schools to advance to the Battle of the Boroughs final round were Integration Charter Schools from Staten Island, St. Jean Baptiste High School from Manhattan, the Young Women’s Leadership School of Brooklyn and the Brooklyn School for Math and Research and John Adams High School in Queens.
All the participating students walked away from this experience with a stronger understanding of the financial services industry and the world of business. They also gained the confidence needed to one day become CEOs themselves in the future.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynosa were also on hand for the competition, where they delivered inspirational remarks to the students.
Corporate partners enlisted by SuitUp included Apollo Global Management, Ares Management, BlackRock, Global Atlantic Financial Group, Goldman Sachs and Santander Bank. Executives from these companies served as coaches and judges for the contest.
