A bold idea from a local student is among just 60 semifinalist submissions selected from over 3,700 nationwide to pitch at the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, June 15-16 in downtown Flint.

FLINT, Mich., June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kailyn Brown from Columbia, South Carolina has been selected as a semifinalist in the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, a national pitch competition for K-12 students.

More than 5,300 young people from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. submitted over 3,700 business ideas and social solutions to the Challenge. From those entries, 1,500 submissions were selected in the first round. Now, the creators behind the top 60 ideas are advancing to compete at a live national event in Flint, Michigan next week.

Kailyn Brown, a 3rd-grade student at Soaring Eagles Christian Academy, invented Sticky Pals w/ Magic Medicine to make getting shots less painful and less frightening for children. Sticky Pals are animal-shaped adhesive patches containing a specially formulated numbing medicine that is applied before an injection to desensitize the area. Each patch features a playful design with an open mouth, allowing children to imagine they are "feeding" the Sticky Pal when the needle is administered, turning a stressful experience into a fun interaction. Inspired by the fear many children feel around shots, Kailyn designed Sticky Pals to reduce anxiety while making medical visits more comfortable. Kailyn also envisions versions for teenagers and adults, recognizing that needle anxiety can affect people of all ages.

"This will make the experience fun for kids and take away the fear that comes with watching the nurse or doctor," said Kailyn in the business pitch to the Mott Million Dollar Challenge.

As a semifinalist, the project will be awarded $5,000. Kailyn will pitch live in front of judges during the final competition June 15-16 in Flint.

Funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation as part of its centennial celebration, the Mott Million Dollar Challenge is administered by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in collaboration with VentureLab, Young Entrepreneur Institute (YEI), the Afterschool Alliance, Collaborative Communications and the 50 State Afterschool Network. The Challenge is designed to shine a light on entrepreneurship education as a meaningful way to help students build skills they need to navigate and shape the future.

Learn more about the Mott Million Dollar Challenge and explore semifinalist ideas at https://mottmillion.org/60-semifinalist-pitches/.

Contact:
Jen Peters
peters@collaborativecommunications.com

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SOURCE Charles Stewart Mott Foundation