Kimala Bennett (third from left), Managing Director of The Business Lab, looks at ideas presented by students during an activity geared at introducing the youngsters to information and communication technology applications, at the recently held Young Entrepreneurs I am the Change summer camp. The camp is being held at the Rex Nettleford Hall at the University of the West Indies, Mona. Also perusing the students ideas is Khary Sharpe (second from left) Chief Executive Officer of Bakari Digital, a software development entity; and Anthony Brown, a businessman and camp facilitator.

ICT applications aimed at improving access to emergency services and enhancing learning for high school students received the winning prize at the recent staging of the Young Entrepreneurs I am the Change camp.

The boot camp, in its second consecutive year, was held at the Rex Nettleford Hall on the Mona campus of The University of the West Indies from July 9-13. It is a component of the Centres of Excellence programme managed by the Mutual Building Societies Foundation (MBSF). The MBSF partnered with the Digicel Foundation to implement the entrepreneurship project, and Digicel engaged its Digicel Business outfit to develop the ideas presented by the winning grade nine students from Seaforth High School in St. Thomas and Porus High School in Manchester.

The teams of young, techie entrepreneurs from both schools tied for first place after impressing expert judges with their E-App (Emergency App) and S1 App (Subject 1 App) ideas respectively.

The E-App provides a quick, less cumbersome and discrete way for users to contact emergency services, while the S1- App allows students to access syllabi and other educational material easily, while also engaging in interactive games to develop their understanding of the subject area.

“We are in a technology renaissance and today’s entrepreneur must have the skill set to manipulate technology in order to solve daily challenges and meet the needs of customers, while, at the same time, improving the business’ bottom line,” says Kimala Bennett, Managing Director of The Business Lab, project managers of the I am the Change project.

The over 70 students, drawn from the six rural high schools under the Centres of Excellence programme, worked in teams guided by teachers and expert mentors to identify specific problems in their schools or community. They then developed applications to solve the issues. The applications ranged from apps to keep parents informed of school events and projects; apps to reduce glut in the agro market, as well as emergency response and edutainment apps and another app to assist unemployed young Jamaicans with accessing information about job opportunities.

“The ideas that were presented could all go to market,” commented chief judge and established entrepreneur, Ian Moore, as he gave final comments congratulating the schools. “That made it even harder to score.”

Participating schools also included McGrath High in Linstead, St. Catherine; Mile Gully High School in Manchester; Godfrey Stewart High in Westmoreland and Green Pond High School in St. James, which are also participants in the Centres of Excellence programme.

“The students presented applications that were sound and practical and workable business plans. And, this goes to show the repository of talent that exist in our schools, which can be honed if we use the right tools and channels,” Ms. Bennett affirmed, revealing that the students developed the ideas and prepared the presentations in just two days.

Dr. Renee Rattray, Programme Manager at the MBSF, says the focus on ICT at this year’s camp is a logical extension on the knowledge the students have already gained. She pointed out that they had already been operating businesses in the six high schools over the past year under the entrepreneurship programme, and this was part of the approach to education being championed by the Centres of Excellence programme.

“What we are focused on is developing a generation of young people who are fully prepared to lead in this new technology-driven paradigm and who can apply what they have learned to compete effectively and drive development,” she affirmed. Dr. Rattray stressed that the intent of the Centres of Excellence programme is to develop a model for replication by the Education Ministry.

Samantha Chantrelle, Executive Director of Digicel Foundation, which brings a wealth of ICT expertise to the entrepreneurship programme’s new emphasis, concurs that developing students’ ICT and business skills is a matter of priority.

“Our education system can no longer be centred on the traditional methods of teaching and learning in this age,” Ms. Chantrelle said. “What we need is a new engine which to encourage innovation which our youth and our country both need to survive in the new global environment,” she said.

In addition to the main trophy for the ICT application, schools also received prizes for their ideas to improve the businesses they established during the last school year. McGrath High walked away with the Best Business Presentation for their McG’s bi-weekly news magazine; Best Knowledge of Product went to Green Pond High for their Green Stationery and More operation; Mile Gully High received the prize for Best Marketing Campaign; while Godfrey Stewart High received the Best Business Plan award for their Lockers Unlimited locker rental service.

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