Leah Campbell took her first class at AACC in 2007 but wasn’t set on a career. She took a break from school, found her focus and returned to AACC to gain an associate degree in kinesiology and a certificate in personal training while taking courses in the Entrepreneurial Studies Institute.
Campbell stumbled upon the Big Idea Competition in a mentorship meeting with her health professor. Her health coach teacher, adjunct Patricia Kuhlman, won last year's first-place prize. Because Campbell had her own business, her professor encouraged her to enter the Big Idea Competition.
In the spirit of TV’s “Shark Tank,” the competition offers students a chance to pitch an original idea that solves a problem or creates a convenience to a panel of judges via video.
Campbell created her business, Pray Over Everything or POE for short, during the pandemic in 2020. The idea came to her over prayer and reflection. “But when I grew up in middle school, Lance Armstrong, he had yellow bands, and they said Live Well,” Campbell said. “And he used to sell them, I believe, for like a dollar. And I mean, they went off the shelves.” Pray Over Everything’s brand has expanded beyond bands. Their collection now includes shoes, hoodies, shirts and hats. Campbell had the chance to show off the fruits of her labor with the greater AACC community during the competition showcase.
The most recent Big Idea Competition yielded no winners for the Skilled Trades award, so the judges got creative. “They were like, "Yeah, we're not leaving no money on the table,” Campbell said. “So, from there, they created the Fan Favorite, and that's what I ended up winning – $500.” For the Fan Favorite, the judges created a live poll for the audience during the ceremony.
Pray Over Everything resonated well with judges and audience alike, resulting in Campbell winning the first Fan Favorite award in the Big Idea Competition, along with $500 in prize money.
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