McAllen ISD students turn ideas into startups through Shark Tank–style class

Four Nikki Rowe High School students turned a family health concern into a product that landed them among the top 10 student startups in the nation.

Hannah Chavero, Ashlie McDonald, Reyli Sarmiento, and Emilian Sosa created a natural-ingredient gummy bear after they realized several members of their families shared a common condition — diabetes. As students on the go, they also noticed their peers’ dependence on high-sugar energy drinks.

Seeing the link between the two, the group sought to create a solution for both, eventually developing sugar-free energy gummies called Boosties. Inspired by the culturally popular chilado gummy snacks, the team developed chamoy-coated gelatin bears infused with green tea and the slogan: “Boost your day the chamoy wey!”

“This was a way of making a solution and targeting multiple people at once,” 18-year-old McDonald said. “So not only is it diabetic friendly because it’s sugar free, it’s energy boosting in a way that’s not as harmful as energy drinks…. Also, if you were just looking for a snack like a chilado, then this would also be good for you because it’s sugar-free.”