Greenhouse Proposal Takes Top Prize at Panther Pitch

By James Oatis

Published April 26, 2026

On April 7th, Plymouth State held its annual competition for student inventions and innovations, called Panther Pitch. The Shark Tank-esque event sees students pitch concepts or inventions to a panel of judges in pursuit of prizes. The grand prize at stake was $2,500 dollars, while other smaller prizes were handed out, such as best freshman project. This year, the grand prize winner was junior Alan Hernandez, who is also a member of The Clock. Hernandez proposed the implementation of a greenhouse on campus, which could be operated by students and would supply fresh produce to the dining hall.              

After winning the $2,500 grand prize, Hernandez stated the money will go to the Plymouth State Sustainability office to start funding his concept. “We still need a lot more funding, which is why the Director of Sustainability and I will be applying for more grants,” he said. Hernandez also praised the competiton: “I would rate it a 10/10. It was great to see the community get together and support ideas that are meant solve problems.”