Getting down to business

Tarek Al-Zoughbi's idea to bring his favorite Palestinian pastry, ewii gewii, to the United States proved to be profitable.

The pastry won him $500 at the University of Notre Dame's eighth annual Invention Convention recently.

“It's a crime to hide the deliciousness of it,” Al-Zoughbi announced about the pastry after he won.

The 16-year-old Clay High School junior competed with six other South Bend junior high and high school students in the convention, presenting business plans to a panel of undergraduate and graduate Notre Dame students.

Al-Zoughbi's presentation, titled “Ewii Gewii's” (and pronounced ooey gooey), introduced the fried pastry that is served with syrup to a receptive, if not hungry audience.

“I've spent most of my life in Palestine,” Al-Zoughbi said afterward. And Palestine is the only place he's been able to get his favorite treat.

Despite winning over the judges with his business plan, Al-Zoughbi was still surprised that he won.

“I felt that the ideas of the other finalists were very good and probably deserved the prize,” he said.

Even still, he said he learned about all the aspects of starting a business and becoming an entrepreneur.

Read the article at: http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100413/NEWS04/100419801 

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