A Bartholomew County winner has been chosen from five teams of finalists for this year’s Maverick Challenge, organized by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce.

The local Maverick Challenge pits teams of high school entrepreneurs in competition for a spot at the upcoming regional competition. The local finals were held last weekend with teams from Columbus East and Columbus North High Schools.

The Highway Hippie team from Columbus East High School took first place, with team members Sara Hockersmith, Sophia Myers, and Morgan Olson. Their business idea is a system that allows plant lovers to take their plants on the go with their thermodynamic container, water alert system, and custom decorations.

The EcoLIVING team from Columbus North came in second place with Tanya Iyer and Anushka Genge Patil.

300 students from Bartholomew, Dearborn, Franklin, Jackson, Monroe, and Scott counties are participating in the competitions. The Maverick Challenge Regional Finals will be February 19th.