BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT Trade Fair which encourages entrepreneurship among high school students was held today, May 4 at Independence Square.
The Junior Achievement Company’s Programme was first introduced to St. Kitts and Nevis by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and is now being managed by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
“The students are required to operate a business where they showcase their products and services to the general public. They are also trying to sell out their stock so that they can liquidate their business, and present a financial report,” said Youlouca Armony-Browne, a representative from ECCB on the Junior Achievement Advisory Committee.
Armony-Browne said that the programme also promotes entrepreneurship while helping them in team work, in managing conflict and basically in preparing them for life.
“Both the theoretical but mostly the practical skills enable them to know what is involved in starting a business, running a business and managing a business because they have to choose an executive and a staff, so it teaches them hands on, on how to handle a business,” she said.
The Verchilds High School (VHS), Gingerland Secondary School (GSS), Washington Archibald High School (WAHS) and Basseterre High School (BHS) were geared up and ready to sell their hand-made/handcrafted products - some with clever company names and slogans.
Lynika Small of VHS, who is also the Marketing Director for VHS Bright Stars, ‘Where Marketing is done best’, said that they are selling hand bands that can be customized but they are promoting their school.
“Today we’re advertising the Verchilds High School because of their last achievement at the inter-school championship and their performance at last year’s CSEC exam results. We’re just trying to market our school and get it out there because it’s always classified as the underdog,” she said.
Rhea Matthew of WAHS said that their business is called ‘Wildly Creative’ and they are selling products including bandeaus, towel wraps, bottle of love, Mother’s day cards and jewelry.
The president of GSS’s Firehouse Enterprise said that their main goal is to make their business profitable.
“We’re selling things people can use on a daily basis including pillows, key rings, jewelry boxes and more,” she said.
CEO of the BHS’s ‘Thrifty Trends’, who are governed under the slogan, ‘We Supply what you buy’, said that they were selling products that even other students from various high schools can purchase.
They had teacups on sale with the markings ‘I-Rep Washy’, ‘I-Rep BHS’, ‘I-Rep VHS’.
“Some teacups are plain while some are marked ‘I-Rep SKN, because you know we have to represent St. Kitts and we’re also selling picture frames; some are varnished, some are air-sprayed; wooden cup and plate sets which are made from mahogany and pine, and headbands,” she said.
The students encouraged the public to come out and support them as this is a positive initiative.
The opening ceremony was chaired by the Executive Director of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Calvin Cable, while Chairperson of the Junior Achievement Advisory Committee, Denise Parry-Merchant, gave remarks. The feature address was given by Minister of Education, Nigel Carty.
