There was a lot of tension and excitement present at the Futures Unlimited Achiever Awards in Toronto this past week. A couple of hundredth business minded individuals gathered to celebrate the successes of a year worth of learning and accomplishments. Junior Achievement is an international organization that encourages students to participate in business minded programs with the aim of developing entrepreneurial and leadership skills. I had the great opportunity to be involved with one of the company programs in the Junior Achievement of Central Ontario chapter. Around thirty high school students gathered together with the help of seven professionals to start up a company from scratch. Only a few meetings later and a multitude of innovative ideas started to be brought to the table in regards to picking the best products, dividing up the departments, voting for the executive team or learning the process associated with initiating an enterprise. At first, I didn’t know what to expect however I was determined to stick with the process and reach high. Becoming the Vice President of Finance of the company provided me with the experience of a lifetime. Nothing could have been more life-applicable and enriching than what I have been part of. I never thought I would be able to take over such a challenging role and responsibility at such a juvenile age.
Having no real previous accountancy experience, at first it was hard to understand the exact responsibilities and how to deliver beyond the expected outcome. The Junior Achievement handbook is an excellent resource which I am proud to own a copy of and it was my “how to” guide along the way. In addition, the diligent advisory team comprised of outstanding individuals which facilitated as mentors throughout the program. My journey of discovery could have not been broader. From the excitement of opening a first business account, to developing materials such as income statements, balance sheets or cost break even analysis, every single element contributed to a tremendous learning experience. However, what made the experience the most meaningful was the lovable sense of community and family within the company. The executive team did an exceptional work in setting common goals and establishing a ground set of values that the company needed to follow in order for us to meet the end outcomes. The cooperation, synergy and unrelenting support that existed between all sides were the elements that fabricated it as the most valuable experience. I can proudly say that now I have a full understanding of what it means to work into an organization, the processes and controls that surround it, the importance of deadlines and roles, goal projection or even how to settle conflicts between team members.
Just when I thought the experience couldn’t get better, I heard that I was the one nominated for the Leadership in Finance Award and Scholarship! After an interview process, I ended up waiting anxiously in the large auditorium room at the Futures Unlimited Achiever Award Ceremony for the nominees and for the winner to be announced. To hear I was the recipient of the award, not only filled me with the excitement of knowing that I must have done something right or that my work has been acknowledged, but also provided me with the opportunity to be one of the 15 award winners who would be attending a one week long conference at Mc Master University in August. The conference is called “JAXchange” (2009 Youth Leaders Exchange) and it is a professional development event where top JA Achievers from Canada and around the world unite. I encourage you to visit the website, as it sounds like an outstanding experience: http://www.jaxchange.com/
I am extremely grateful for being able to participate actively in such an esteemed program and I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to everyone who is involved in putting Junior Achievement together. I would strongly encourage all young students to participate and get this hands-on experience that one will never be able to obtain from books and libraries! Visit the website for more information on how to get involved in your country, province or region: http://www.ja.org/default.asp (Worldwide Site) or http://www.jacan.org/ (Canadian Site)
