Thirty-four students inAnguillagraduated from the world-wide Junior Achievement Programme on Monday, April 16, at the Teachers’ Resource Centre. The programme was arranged by Penny Hope-Ross, and other members of the Advisory Board.
Of the thirty-four students, there were fourteen More than Money Graduates representing the Teacher Gloria Omolulu Institute, and twenty Graduates from theAlbenaLake-HodgeComprehensiveSchool, under The Company Programme.
Funding for the graduation ceremony was provided by First Caribbean International Bank.
Anguillahas been identified by JA Worldwide as a pilot chapter offering the above two programmes initially. The Company Programme is geared to youth 15 years and older, and the More Than Money Programme is aimed at children in grades 3 to 5 at primary level.
Junior Achievement programmes help prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it; how to create jobs which will make their communities robust; and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking at the workplace.
The programmes allow volunteers with business experience to deliver the curriculum, while sharing their experiences with the students and
creating a mentoring relationship.
The graduation ceremony included the invocation by Pastor Philip Gumbs of the Church of God(Holiness); opening remarks by Marcel Fahie, Chairman of the JA Advisory Board; and the presentation of awards by Minister of Education and Social Development, Edison Baird, assisted mainly by Penny Hope-Ross.
The keynote speaker was David Carty, of Rebel Marine, who told the students about his search for a career after graduating from the University of theWest Indieswith a BSc degree in Political Science; serving as an English, Literature and History Teacher; Tourism Officer and then Director of Tourism.
-He told the students how he eventually established Rebel Marine, and was now producing high quality boats for the local, regional and international markets.
“What you are doing at this stage, starting from now, is learning the basics of a business,” he advised the children. “Whatever you do, if you have the passion, then I think you can succeed.” He further advised them to reach out to professionals who were strong in the points they were weak in, and learn from them. “Above all, you must have the passion for whatever you want to do,” Mr. Carty emphasised.
The sponsors were the Anguilla Electricity Company; CIBC First Caribbean International Bank; Bob and Melinda Blanchard; Professional Business Services; the Governor’s Office and Counsel Limited.
The volunteers who worked with the students were Pamela Fleming and Lorraine Forde of the Omolulu Institute; Ethne Richardson, Marcel Fahie, Kenn Banks, Erimel Franklin, Fabian Proctor, Heather Richie, Shellecia Brooks, Jean Dyer and Dana Campbell, all of whom represented the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School.
Meanwhile, the Junior Achievement Company Programme will begin at the Blowing Point Youth Centre on April 24.
