Basseterre, St. Kitts - Eight high schools have already confirmed their participation in the 2014-2015 cycle of the Junior Achievement Company Program which was launched at the Maltin Moving Centre at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank on Saturday 27th September. Seven of the eight schools were represented by 70-plus students and their teachers. The products and/or services to be developed as of this JA cycle, are to have a green theme, being something that reduces waste or reuses or repurposes items that already exist.

 

Mr Michael Blake, Senior Education Officer and member of the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement St Kitts & Nevis shared sobering remarks to open the event, encouraging students to be above standard in every sphere of their life. He illustrated how Junior Achievement assists with the development of the personal skills needed for success. He cited Finland, a country that is currently leading worldwide in Education, who emphasizes the importance of co-curricular activities in the complete education of their students. Programmes like the Junior Achievement Company Programme, are monitored within their school system, and students are assessed and as a prerequisite for graduation.

 

Students involved in the JA Company Program develop and run a business from the ground up, and the top five become eligible to participate in the Company of the Year (COY) for the Americas Region, which includes Latin America and the Caribbean. Ms Eunice Greenaway, teacher from the Basseterre High school, shared videos, pictures and anecdotes about the competition to those present, in an effort for all participating schools to gain an understanding of the Regional participation in the JA Company Programme. The Basseterre High School had represented twice at COY since St Kitts-Nevis began.