VI Students Compete To Showcase Business Achievements In Competition Organized By Junior Achievement

High school students in the JA Company Program, an after-school program run by Junior Achievement, competed in the 2016 JA Company Program Territorial Competition on June 26th, at the Marriott Frenchman’s Reef, a press release issued by Junior Achievement Thursday has made known.

Students in this program work with corporate mentors and team members from schools across the area to create and run their own small business. From start-up to liquidation, these students experience every step in the entrepreneurial process in a hands-on way while being guided by business professionals. Mentors are provided by firms from across the territory, including Alpine Securities, Scotiabank, Innovative, International Capital Management and the Government of the Virgin Islands.

The Regional Competition brings together 5 student teams from both Districts (3 from St. Thomas/St. John & 2 from St. Croix) to compete in an event in which they are judged on their company’s success and their personal development as entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The competition was intense as the event featured two hours of business plans and rigorous questioning by the judges. This year the company team H.E.L.L.O. , coached by Innovative employee volunteers Kali Richardson and Armecia Martin prevailed and won the event. The team created a company that used recycled bottles and coconuts to make several products including candle holders and jewelry. The team name “H.E.L.L.O.,” is an acronym which stands for “Helping Everyone Live Life Onward.” Company CEO Ki’Andre Thomas noted that they had quite a few management shakeups but their teamwork and perseverance ultimately lead them to success.

The judges were impressed by the students’ ability to innovate and still provide a solution to the territory’s waste management problem. Their products certainly supported the company’s mission: To protect, extend, and live life through promoting recycling and a green globe future. H.E.L.L.O. is now slated for participation in the Junior Achievement Regional Company of the Year competition in Mexico scheduled for early December. The students will compete against more than 15 different countries and 20 competitors from the Caribbean, Canada as well Central and South America.

“We must constantly push our young people to excel in entrepreneurship. Even at this young age they are creating solutions to problems that have plagued us for years. Our JA Students are incredible innovators and go on to lead successful careers here and abroad.” said Albert Bryan Jr., Executive Director of Junior Achievement Virgin Islands. “Through the hard work of the students and the support of our awesome volunteers, businesses were created and valuable life lessons were learned in the process They are truly the business leaders of tomorrow!”

We would also like to thank our major sponsors Alpine Securities, Innovative Communications and International Capital Management for their constant support.

About Junior Achievement of the Virgin Islands

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to empowering students to own their economic success by giving them the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to dream big and reach their full potential. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school programs for students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Locally, over 80 volunteers reach 1,000 students with quality education programs.  In addition, 118 individual area operations reach more than four million students in the United States.