JA students enjoy good sales at trade fair

More than 500 secondary school students representing 21 Junior Achievement Trinidad and Tobago (JA) companies demon­strated “street-savvy” sales pitch as they peddled a variety of items for sale at the organisation’s 42nd Annual Trade Fair at Woodford Square, Port-of-Spain, last week. Representing more than 100 schools across the country, the young entrepreneurs enticed members of the public with handmade craft items, personal items such as necklaces, hand bands, earrings, jerseys, as well as household items such as cushions, wall plaques and pillows. JA executive chairman, J Errol Lewis, congratulated the students for their creativity and perseverance in producing well-crafted items for sale, and thanked platinum sponsor BP Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT) and other corporate entities for their support over the years. Feature speaker Todd Jungenberg, economic officer of the United States Embassy, urged the students to make full use of the opportunities presented by the trade fair. 

 

 

“This project is about education and training and you should make the most of it,” he noted.  Ronda Francis, corporate responsibility manager, bpTT, said the energy company was proud to partner with the JA initiative since it centred on three of its main focus areas, education, youth development and entre­preneurship. Comprising students from Lakshmi Girls College, Presentation College (Chaguanas), ASJA Girls High School (Charlieville), and Holy Faith Convent (Couva), Temptationz offered costume jewelry, decorative candles and food items for sale. Kristoffer Gould, president of Mayaro-based Big Money Achievers, said the experience of forming and operating the company was a thrilling experience for all 35 students.  “We wanted to be creative so we sewed drawstring bags and handcrafted our hand bands. We wanted to make our sponsor bpTT and JA proud of us,” Gould added. Members of Big Money Achievers came from six schools, Rio Claro East Secondary, Rio Claro West Secondary, Mayaro Secondary, Guayaguayare Secondary, Sangre Grande Secondary and Urbano Private School (Rio Claro).