Download - JA Manitoba Company Program
JA Company Program 2015-2016
We’re on a mission to inspire and prepare youth to succeed in a global economy.
Dear JA Company Program Donors and Partners: This was another successful, busy and exciting year for the JA Company Program. The
flagship of all JA programming, the Company Program is an intensive, hands-on entrepreneurial
boot camp for high achieving teens. This curriculum based program can be run in school
(teacher led), or alternatively it is also offered as an afterschool (volunteer business mentor led)
extracurricular program.
Students who enroll in the afterschool program are placed into teams with the teams quickly
becoming companies. Once teams have agreed on a business idea, executives are elected,
business plans are formulated, websites are designed and then production lines produce! The
anticipated result for all the student companies is real sales and real profits being attained
during this six-month afterschool program.
This year ninety-seven Winnipeg students formed into nine afterschool teams; all creating
unique product lines, all mentored by dedicated JA volunteers from the Winnipeg business
community. During the 2015-16 year, the afterschool Company Program enlisted 29 volunteer
mentors. Each mentor dedicated approximately 75 hours of advising time to their student
company team over this six month period (program runs from November to late April)
While enrollment in the teacher led in-school Company Program has remained steady,
enrollment for the afterschool program grew 18% from last year. A lot of the success in this
entrepreneurship program can be attributed to the strength of our partners. The Company
Program saw an increase in funding due to new organizations such as CPA Manitoba coming
on board as the Official Company Program Sponsor. Strong grassroots networking with
organizations such as Ramp Up, CEO Manitoba, JCI Winnipeg, Shaw TV, Safe Work Manitoba,
the World Trade Centre Winnipeg and Stu Clarke Centre for Entrepreneurship has made this
program highly relevant to our student base. However equally as important, we are also seeing
an increasingly strong and dedicated volunteer pool from the Winnipeg business community.
This ultimately has made this program of more value – thus attracting a higher caliber of
students.
It never ceases to amaze how these bright engaged high school students can add this
demanding extra-curricular program to their already busy school and work schedules. Please
take a moment to see what these JA Achievers, our future leaders, have accomplished over the
past year and notice how your contributions have made a difference!
CPA Manitoba Official Sponsor Of the 2015-16 JA Company Program
JA Manitoba was thrilled to have CPA
Manitoba on board as the official sponsor
of the 2015-16 afterschool Company
Program. This partnership has proven to
be a great fit, as both organizations
recognize the importance of developing
the next generation of business leaders
and encourage students to pursue post-
secondary studies.
All teams that participate in the JA
program are required to develop business
plans. These plans include everything
from marketing and product development
to full financials. Students have an
opportunity to learn how to complete
income statements, a break-even analysis
and even create their own balance sheets
to efficiently run their businesses. The
program offers students a unique hands-
on glimpse into the business strategy work that is often performed by professional
accountants.
The CPA designation is Canada`s premier credential for professional careers in
business and accounting. A university degree in any discipline is all it takes to be
eligible to enroll in the CPA program. Those who successfully earn their CPA
designation are equipped with an education and background that enables them to go on
and take leadership roles in the business community. You can find CPAs in all
industries and across all business sectors. Many CPAs hold roles in upper levels of
management, in CEO or CFO positions, or even as entrepreneurs running their own
businesses. To learn more about becoming a CPA visit www.go.cpamb.ca
Scotiabank Manages student Teams’ banking needs! Thank-you to Scotiabank for handling all the afterschool Company Program’s student
team banking needs for the 2015-2016 program year. Soon after each team decides on
their product or service, they begin the task of selling $10 shares to gain their initial
start-up equity. Once shares are sold, bank accounts need to be set up and money
deposited.
Scotiabank signed on this year as the official banking institution for all afterschool
Company Program teams. Presidents and VP’s of Finance from each student company
(along with one advisor) set up appointments with Scotiabank and learned the following:
-how to open a small-business bank account
-the responsibilities of being a signing authority,
-the importance of online account viewing
-how to deposit money
-the basics of writing a cheque
In addition to handling all the
teams’ banking needs,
Scotiabank also facilitated a lunch
hour trade fair in the Shops of
Winnipeg Square. This was a
great opportunity for students to
see and feel the busy vibe of the
downtown lunch-hour business
crowd.
Thank-you Scotiabank!
SPECIAL EVENTS Afterschool Company Program
In addition to the weekly team meetings that span over 20 weeks, many of the teams
and students partake in the various special events and competitions that JA Manitoba
organizes. Thank you to all the participants, volunteers and sponsors of various
special events throughout the year. It is with your continued support and participation
that JA can continue to inspire and educate our Manitoba youth!
MEETING OF THE MINDS
Company Program Launch - November 2015
(ABOVE) Achievers and Advisors participating in a fun business challenge (RIGHT) Guest Speaker from Portray Advertising and Former JA Achiever: Greg Lipschitz
JA MANITOBA held the annual kick-off event, “Meeting of the Minds” for the Company
Program – A Student Venture, at CanadInns Polo Park. 120 parents, volunteers
(Advisors), students (Achievers) and JA Corporate partners attended. Advisors and
Achievers were placed in their companies where they met and got started with
icebreaker activities. Greg Lipschitz (former JA Company Program Achiever, local
entrepreneur and co-founder of Portray Advertising) was the guest speaker for the
evening.
EXECUTIVE TRAINING
Company Program - December 2015
Elected executives from each of the Company Program teams’ are invited to attend our
annual “Executive Training” sessions. Due to the great training space at Manitoba
Hydro, we were able to deliver all seven training sessions simultaneously.
Training sessions were conducted by
volunteer professionals in areas such as
leadership, finance, marketing, production,
health & safety, human resources and social
media. A special thank-you goes out to Dash
Agency, the World Trade Centre Winnipeg
(BIC), JCI Winnipeg, Safe Work Manitoba,
CEO Group (Asper School of Business) and
Warehouse One for delivering the Vice-
President and Presidential training sessions.
Students in executive positions were given
guidelines and pointers from our volunteer
business trainers on how to effectively run
their departments for the duration of the
program.
(ABOVE) Riley Bell from CEO Group (Asper School of Business) delivers the Financing training session
to students in the Company Program)
(ABOVE) Students from Company Program attending Executive Training at the beautiful downtown
Manitoba Hydro building
ELEVATOR PITCH CHALLENGE:
Company Program – February 2016
This competition brought to us by the Investors Group is designed to push students out
of their comfort zone and into the world of selling their idea – the Elevator Pitch! In
Round I Students have 2 minutes to
sell their product idea to a panel of
judges. Vying for cash prizes in this
nerve wracking contest, this
competition tests the students on their
product knowledge and their ability to
make a persuasive pitch.
In Round II the top six pitches are
brought back for a second round.
Building on the feedback the students
have gained from Round I, they
compete for cash prizes of $300,
$200 and $100 (compliments of
Investors Group)
JA Manitoba would like to thank
Elaine Ross, Senior Corporate
Communications Consultant from
Investors Group for organizing and
hosting this annual competition.
(ABOVE) Investors Group – Judging panels
Winners Andres Bazin and Bilal
Ayyache from team myTag (Nelson
McIntyre High School) took first place
and $300 in cash prizes.
Congratulations to all the students that
participated!
(RIGHT) First place winners from team MyTag
Andres and Bilal with award presenter Glen
Melnyk from Investors Group
THE “PERFECT PITCH”
Company Program - April 2016
JA Manitoba in conjunction with
the Shaw Studios brought back
for the 4th year “THE PERFECT
PITCH” - JA Manitoba’s version
of Dragons Den. Student teams
vie for cash prizes in front of a
studio audience at the Shaw
Studios.
(LEFT): Team “Maple Card Company”
preparing to deliver their pitch.
Our judges Chris Westdal (Pool
Pros), Diane Bilodeau (Caisse
Financial Group) and Luc
Bohunicky (Consultica Software
Services) were our Dragons. The
taping was packaged into 4
episodes, aired on Shaw TV
channel 9 and is available for
viewing on Shaw’s YouTube
Channel. (ABOVE): Judging Panel: Chris Westdal, Diane Bilodeau, Luc Bohunicky
(ABOVE): Perfect Pitch, Shaw Studios
TRADE FAIRS Company Program – March & April 2016
During the Trade Fairs, students were
not only marketing their products to the
public, but they were also competing
with each other to win a number of
trade fair specific awards. JA enlisted
the marketing expertise of Cynthia
Dowse (Dowse Media and
Communications) to not only critique
each trade fair booth, but provide
constructive feedback.
(ABOVE) – Team “myTag at the St. Vital Trade Fair
(Above) –Team C-Spray at Kildonan Place Trade Fair (Above) Team C-Spray product line
Trade fairs were held during the entire mall hours on the following Saturdays:
March 12th: Kildonan Shopping Centre (full day trade fair) March 18th: Hydro Gallery downtown &
Scotia Bank(lunch hour trade fair) April 9th: St. Vital Shopping Centre (full day trade fair)
JA Winnipeg teams sold collectively $12,000 worth of product to the public!
CELEBRATION OF ACHIEVEMENT
Company Program awards night – May 2016
Essence Event Center at
CanadInns Garden City hosted
115 students, parents, volunteers
and sponsors who attended the
Awards Ceremony a "Celebration
of Achievement" for all afterschool
Company Program participants.
This year, nine new companies
from Winnipeg schools were
honored for their achievements;
showcasing the brightest and the
best - youth making a difference. Awards, scholarships and numerous prizes were
handed out at this evening.
(ABOVE) – Future Leader of Manitoba (ABOVE) – Company of the Year winners, team C-Spray
Scholarship winner Andres Bazin
“Next Generation of Leaders” Scholarship York University – August 8th-12
th, 2016
JA Manitoba along with sponsor Pool
Pros will be sending one Company
Program Achiever, Priel Lisak, to the
Next Generation Leaders Forum
(NextGen). NextGen is a JA Canada
global forum that provides business skills
to youth so they can lead organizations
of the future. Youth from all over the
world attend this intense five-day forum,
where participants face real business
challenges and develop strategies in
collaboration with their global peers.
This year’s forum will take place at York
University. The JA youth who attend the
Next Generation Leaders Forum are
many of the highest potential young people in the world, and the next leaders of industry
and society.
(ABOVE) Next Gen Scholarship winner Priel Lisak
Company Program Sponsors
CPA Manitoba (Official Sponsor)
Manitoba Hydro
Manitoba Government
Shaw
Caisse Financial Group
Investors Group
Workers Compensation Board
Safe Work Manitoba
Papa John’s Pizza
Pal Group (scholarships)
Pool Pros Ltd. (scholarship)
EO Winnipeg (scholarship)
Waterford Global Inc. (scholarship)
Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship High School New Venture Championships
Students from the afterschool Company Program were invited to compete in the
province wide “High School New Venture Championships” hosted by the U of M’s Stu
Clarke Centre for Entrepreneurship. Categories for competition include Idea Pitch,
Logo Competition, Business Plan and Trade Fair Booth. We were pleased to announce
that JA teams placed in three of the competitions. C-Spray took first place in the Idea
Pitch Competition with MyTag placing 2nd in the Trade Show Competition. Rural JA
team Dangles (based out of Birtle MB) placed 2nd overall in the business plan
competition. Many thanks to the Stu Clarke Centre for putting on this high-caliber
province wide competition!
C-Spray takes 1st in Idea Pitch $500 MyTag takes 2
nd in Trade Show $100 Gift Card
Rural JA team based out of Birtle Manitoba takes 2
nd place Business Plan Competition
$1000 post-secondary per student
COMPANY PROGRAM AWARDS
Award Winner School
Best Business Plan Sense SJR
Best Shareholders Report myTag Nelson McIntyre
Best Website of the Year myTag Nelson McIntyre
Innovative Product of the Year C-Spray Kelvin
Best Trade Fair Booth C-Spray Kelvin
Highest Unit Sales Maple Card Company SJR
Highest Dollar Sales C-Spray Kelvin
VP of Website/social media Bilal Ayyache Nelson McIntyre
VP of HR Jillian Ilao Kildonan East
VP of Marketing Alice Phung Grant Park HS
VP of Finance Kaela Kunst-Bentz Kelvin High School
VP of Production Walid Ayyache Nelson McIntyre
VP of Environment/Health/Safety Sarah Voullon Nelson McIntyre
President of the Year Award Elliot Kimelman Kelvin (Gray)
Next Gen Award Priel Lisak Grant Park HS
Company of the Year C-Spray Kelvin
1st Investors Group Challenge Andres & Bilal Nelson McIntyre
2nd
Investors Group Challenge Octavia & Jenna Kelvin
3rd
Investors Group Challenge Adrien Dinzey Grant Park team
Anthony McLaughlin Scholarship Shaun Ramos Grant Park
Pal Bursary for Growth Allan Eung Kelvin HS
1st Safety Plan Maple Card Co. SJR
1st Shaw Perfect Pitch C-Spray Kelvin
Entrepreneurial Excellence Scholarship Elliot Kimelman Kelvin (Gray)
Future Leader of Manitoba Award Andres Bizan Nelson McIntrye
For more information about the Company Program contact Marie Hacault 204-956-6087