Tomorrow’s business leaders cross fingers for prize
(CNS): A group of young local entrepreneurs will be biting their finger nails this weekend as they wait to find out if their business skills have been enough to take them on their first ‘business’ to represent the Cayman Islands at the Junior Achievement (JA) International Canadian Conference. Pat Randall, the President of the Board of directors for Junior Achievement in Cayman, says the students had to take part in an oral presentation as part of the competition to win the trip.
“The students give a presentation of up to seven minutes on a topic which is pertaining to the economy of the Cayman Islands. They are judged by three independent judges. The top eight will then be awarded the free trip,” he said adding that it wasdifficult to judge because the standard was so high.”
He explained that they are judged on content and delivery. “The judges ask questions after the presentation and award marks on their ability to answer a question and their true understanding of the subject.”
The Junior Achievement after school program is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Central and the Chamber of Commerce. It teaches high schools students about business by having them form their own company, manufacture a product and sell it.
Kendrick McField, a year 12 John Gray High School student, took part in the competition for the first time this year and said as a shy person he joined JA to break his nervousness. “This has kind of broadened my horizons a little bit more,” he said.
Nikita Durant, a grade 12 student at Wesleyan Christian Academy, would really like to go to the conference in Canada and said JA was a great experience. “It’s one thing to learn about business in school, it’s another thing to experience it. You learn that sometimes things don’t always go right so, you have to be flexible”, she said.
Shemina Barnes, a year 12 student at John Gray High School, says she thought she did pretty well in the competition. “The questions were a bit tricky, but everyone is telling me I did really well,” she said and recommended the JA program to all High School students. “I got the experience of knowing how to run a business, what I should do, what I should be looking for in a business”, she said.
Shemina says she did a lot of research for the presentation. “I went on line, I looked up on all the different sites, especially Cayman News Service, which helped me really well”, she said.
The awards banquette is taking place Saturday night at 6:30 at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach resort. Tickets are 50 dollars and will NOT be available at the door. Contact the JA office for more information, 949-4306, or email jacayman@candw.ky
Category: Local News
CONGRATULATIONS CAYMAN BRAC – on your win of President of the Year and Company of the Year. Once again we are very proud of you all.