Students from fourth through eighth grade stepped into the spotlight today, navigating real-world social and professional scenarios that tested far more than academics.
SEMINOLE, Fla., March 26, 2026 – On a morning that was anything but ordinary, twenty-three students at Plato Academy Seminole traded their textbooks for a different kind of challenge. They competed in the Amazing Shake, a nationally recognized live competition developed by the Ron Clark Academy that puts students through a gauntlet of professional skills scenarios, from delivering a polished self-introduction to pitching a product in full Shark Tank fashion.
The concept is straightforward, and deliberately so. Students rotate through a series of real-world stations, each one designed to test poise, confidence, communication, and manners. There are no multiple-choice answers here. Every response, every handshake, every moment of eye contact is evaluated in real time by a panel of judges drawn from the school’s community.
The ten stations students navigated today covered the full spectrum of social and professional life. In Greeting and Introduction, students walked into the room and introduced themselves to a competition judge as they would to any professional contact, firm handshake, eye contact, and a composed, clear voice. In Booger Burger, they stepped into the role of a restaurant manager handling a difficult customer complaint, staying calm, listening actively, and working toward a solution without losing their composure. Stay Fresh asked them to pitch an original product with the kind of enthusiasm and clarity that would make any investor pay attention.
Other stations stretched students in equally practical directions. Birthday Bash put them in the role of a party host managing guests and unexpected situations with warmth and leadership. Top Travel had them channeling their inner travel agent, persuading a skeptical client to book a dream destination. The Academy Awards station called for a polished, heartfelt, and gracious acceptance speech. Cooking With Me asked them to host a live cooking demonstration with clarity and personality. The Tonight Show put them in the guest chair, fielding interview questions with the kind of natural, thoughtful responses that hold an audience’s attention.
Across all eight competitive stations, judges looked for the same core qualities: the ability to remain composed under pressure, to communicate clearly and respectfully, and to carry themselves with the kind of confidence that opens doors long after any single conversation ends.
The panel of judges and volunteers who gave their time today included Joe Mullen, Connie Christie, Chris Wilson, Kristen Ridall, Mallory Wyckoff, the staff of Velocity IQ, Danielle Cicetti, Michelle McCarty, Melody Frazier, and Nick Dunfey. Their involvement reflects the broader purpose of the Amazing Shake, which is to connect students with leaders and role models from beyond the school walls, giving young people a glimpse into the networks and professional environments they are actively preparing to enter.
The students who competed represented grades four through eight: Alexa M., Maddox T., and Kamrynn R. from fourth grade; Abrielle H., Aizen D., Anita L., Austin J., Ava C., Bella M., Dillan N., Eva C., Iasonas B., Kaiden N., Ofelia V., and Olivia B. from fifth grade; Edna C., Ellary B., Saphire P., and Violet C. from sixth grade; Addison R. and Gabriella B. from seventh grade; and Ashton T. and Sophia L. from eighth grade.
The Amazing Shake was created by the Ron Clark Academy, the Atlanta-based nonprofit school whose emphasis on manners, discipline, and professional readiness has made it one of the most recognized models for character education in the country. Schools across the United States host their own local editions of the competition each year, with the program’s Global Amazing Shake drawing participants from around the world. More information about the program is available at theamazingshake.com.
For Plato Academy Seminole, today was a reminder that the skills students most need in life are often the ones least covered in a standard curriculum. How to walk into a room. How to listen. How to speak clearly when something is at stake. How to be the kind of person others want to be around. Those are exactly the skills the Amazing Shake was built to teach, and by all accounts, today’s students rose to meet them.
Plato Academy Seminole is a tuition-free public charter school dedicated to academic excellence and the development of the whole child.
