JA Fellows’ Company of the Year winners, team Wov-In from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School: Anthony Rilling, Demia Bonner, Michael Weissman, Robbie Tromberg, Maria Chamberlain, Maggie Chu, Cyril Yared and Matthew Ionescu.
By: Sharon Aron Baron
Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School took home two coveted awards at JA Fellows business and leadership program for high school students.
Winner of Company of the Year was Team Wov-In from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School which also received awards for Best Commercial and Best Annual Report.
Team Hydrowalkers from McFatter Technical High School received the Best Stage Presentation award.
Individual awards for Outstanding Young Business Person were presented to Erika Alban, McFatter Technical High School, Abigail Hyde and Aquilla Williams, Atlantic Technical High School and Vanessa Zetrenne, College Academy at Broward College, who also each received a $10,000 Horatio Alger Junior Achievement scholarship.
As participants of the JA Fellows program, students gain real-world business experience by working in teams of 15-20 to conceptualize, capitalize and manage their own small business.
“A program like JA Fellows helps to provide students with vital work readiness skills, such as customer service, inventory management and market research,” said Laurie Sallarulo, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida. “Like any successful small business startup, the student companies must also create robust financial management and communication plans. These are useful skills that will benefit their future employers and provide a successful framework for the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
The program culminates with a competition at JA World Huizenga Center at Broward College. This year, finalists from 10 high school student-led companies, mentored by volunteer business professionals, went head-to-head at the program’s finale. Each team showcased and presented their company’s success to an impressive group of business leaders serving as guest judges.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas is a Broward County Public School attended by students in Parkland and Coral Springs, Florida.