06/18/2012
During JA Business Week (June 10 to 15), students competed on Apprentice-style projects for Jamba Juice, State Farm Insurance, and the Microsoft Store (see details about projects here).
On the last day of camp, students presented their projects to a panel of volunteer judges from the local business community. Projects were rated on a number of criteria related to their written, oral, and visual presentations. While all of the students created projects to be proud of, three were named this year’s JA Business Week winners:
Jamba Juice Project
Company G’s campaign won the Jamba Juice project with their Big Bang Berry smoothie. The winning students created the new flavor along with a marketing plan to promote the new flavor in their schools and neighborhoods. The Big Bang Berry blends together a flavorful mix of berry juice, tangy mangos, sweet raspberry sherbet, and apple strawberry juice for “extra zest.” Company G’s professional advisor was Ahsan Khan from UMB Bank Colorado. The team will have the “Big Bang Berry” flavor featured in Colorado locations in September, and will share in the profits from its sales.
Company L created a ‘no texting while driving’ campaign for State Farm Insurance with the theme “You can’t see the road if your texts are in the way.” After conducting extensive research, the winning team created a marketing plan that included social media, a newsletter, and an original video. To further involve teens, the plan also gives students the opportunity to advocate for anti-teen texting at their school by handing posters, giving out magnets to place on car doors, and inviting guest speakers to school assemblies. The plan also includes creating a coalition of mobile phone companies to promote technology that prevents teens from texting while driving. Each student from the winning team received a $75 cash prize.
Microsoft Store Project
Company O created a fun and educational gamed called Disaster that prepares players for a natural disaster. Using the software program Kodu, Disaster teaches preparation and survival skills to kids ages 7 to 14. Initially focused on preparing for a flood, the game has potential to address different situations that imitate natural disasters such as tornados, wild fires, hurricanes, etc. The team proposed partnering with nonprofit organizations to help with disaster awareness training on a global spectrum. Company O’s professional advisor was Alan Asher from TIAA-CREF. Each student from the winning team received an Xbox donated by the Microsoft Store and a $100 cash prize.Congratulations to these and all of the JA Business Week companies!
