More than 200 students from Calgary and the surrounding area got a chance to showcase and sell products they developed on their own through an entrepreneurship program.
Sixteen teams comprised of students from Calgary and Airdrie were featured at Junior Achievement’s Company Program Trade Show at CrossIron Mills, selling their unique products on Saturday.
Hannah Tester saw that COVID-19 was resulting in isolation and mental health issues. With that in mind, a seed was planted in the Calgary student’s head: to create a business that involved selling low-maintenance plants, each with names and six different personalities.
“Our products were designed around mental health awareness,” Tester said.
“With COVID, people have increasing mental health concerns, and we thought that providing people with a plant companion would remind them that they’re not alone during this time, and we also have our profits going towards a mental health charity.”
Tester said entrepreneurship is a great way to tackle real-world issues. She is a one of over 200 high school students taking part in the Company Program Trade Show.
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Since October, students have been working on their own time in teams to come up with a product and create a financing and marketing plan. This weekend was their opportunity to showcase their products.
“I think it’s very important that we bring financial literacy to young people. It’s just a guidebook to help them navigate the world,” said Josh Johal, co-ordinator of high school programs for Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta.
“Through this process, they learn about financial literacy. You learn how to balance your books, about the different considerations of costs and work readiness. They are actually out there practising interacting with people.”
The Junior Achievement Company Program allows students to experience the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship. Students taking part said they’ve learned about sticking to a budget and the importance of collaboration and communication.
“As president, it can be easy to just think, ‘What I say goes.’ I’ve been focused on not being like that,” said Olivia Monette, an Airdrie Grade 12 student participating in the program.
“I want to make sure I take everyone’s opinions and communicate with my members constantly to make sure that everyone is feeling heard.”
Each year, Junior Achievement brings programs to hundreds of schools to teach students about personal finance.
“I wasn’t super good with money before, but now I feel like I have a lot of financial organization skills and saving up for university as well, so I have learned the importance of staying within a budget,” Monette said.
Last year, the Alberta government announced it would supply $1 million in grant funding for organizations to provide financial literacy programming for junior and senior high school students.
A grant renewal of $200,000 for Junior Achievement resources in schools will enhance financial literacy programming for students in grades 3 to 6.
Junior Achievement — a partnership between the business community, educators and volunteers — is the world’s largest NGO dedicated to educating young people about business.
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