June 18, 2018– Over 150 students, teachers, donors and business volunteers gathered at the Vancouver Celebrate JA! event on June 14th to acknowledge students across British Columbia for their leadership, performance, entrepreneurship and collaborative spirit in a JA program this past school year. Recognition events are also held in Victoria and Kelowna.

As part of the evening, JABC hosted a Fireside Chat session featuring Peter Armstrong, Founder and CEO of Armstrong Group/Rocky Mountaineer and Frank Giustra, President and CEO of Fiore Group. These new members of the Business Laureates of British Columbia (BLBC) Hall of Fame answered questions from JABC students related to “What it takes to be a future leader and a member of the Business Laureates of BC Hall of Fame”.

The awards ceremony included Welcome Remarks from Sheila Biggers, President and CEO, JA British Columbia, and was emceed by JABC Board member Christina Howton, Director, Business Development, Private Company Services, PwC.

Student company Purify, from Eric Hamber Secondary, won the Celebrate Entrepreneurship Award for developing CharClean, an on the go water filtering system that can be used to filter tap water. They will receive $3,000 for their entrepreneurship. The award recognizes the JA student company that best demonstrates innovation and was presented by Ian Tostenson, President/CEO, British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association and member of British Columbia’s Small Business Roundtable. This award is sponsored by the Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology.

Thanks to the support of the Small Business Roundtable and the Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology, JABC has been able to make its programs accessible to every school district in British Columbia.

“Congratulations to the winning students from Eric Hamber Secondary for developing their innovative water filtering product, CharClean,” said Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology Bruce Ralston. “This team represents the future entrepreneurs of innovation and technology that will help drive forward our economy, and has the potential to improve people’s lives.”

“On Behalf the BC Small Business Roundtable, it was an honour to help judge and give the Celebrate Entrepreneurship Award to this group of enthusiastic, talented and future entrepreneurs,” said Ian Tostenson, President and CEO of BC Restaurant Foodservices Association. “It will be exciting to see their impact on business in the years to come.”

The full list of awards:

Individual Awards

Student Awards for Oratory & Presentation Skills

  • Cherry Chen, Walnut Grove Secondary, Langley
  • Alice Ko, Burnaby Central Secondary, Burnaby
  • Kristy Shum, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, Vancouver

Junior Entrepreneur Awards

  • Maria Gartman, Killarney Secondary, Vancouver
  • Shirley Mao, Handsworth Secondary, Vancouver
  • Min Namgung, Handsworth Secondary, Vancouver

Keg Spirit Foundation Next Generation Leaders Forum Awards

  • Sam Li, Burnaby North Secondary, Burnaby
  • Arman Turna, North Surrey Secondary, Surrey
  • Tasia Linquist, South Kamloops Secondary, Kamloops
  • Joel Vandermark, Belmont Secondary, Victoria
  • Ella Wedel, Prince George Secondary, Prince George

Dr. Donald Rix Inspiring Business Excellence Scholarship

  • Morgan Bukowski, J.V. Humphries Secondary, Kaslo

RBC Award for Excellence & Leadership

  • Freyja Reed, Semiahmoo Secondary, Surrey

Jan Bell-Irving Award for Women’s Leadership

  • Hannah Myung, R.E. Mountain Secondary, Langley

Student Company Awards

Celebrate Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by the Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology

  • Purify- Eric Hamber Secondary, Vancouver

CPA Profit Performance Award

  • JAYO Lanyards- John Oliver Secondary, Vancouver

Ledcor Regional Company of the Year Award

  • Recycled Sounds- South Kamloops Secondary, Kamloops

CIBC Student Company of the Year Award

  • KLICK- Multiple Schools in Vancouver

Team Competition Awards

JABC Business Challenge Online Award

  • Fall 2017: Decided- West Point Grey Academy, Vancouver
  • Spring 2018: CPA Gruppen- Pinetree Secondary, Coquitlam

JABC Investment Strategies Stock Market Challenge Award

  • Fall 2017: Team Blue-Handsworth Secondary, North Vancouver
  • Spring 2018: HVA- Kelly Road Secondary, Prince George

Picture: JABC students with (Back row centre) Sheila Biggers, President and CEO JABC;

(Centre row left to right) Kirk LaPointe, VP Audience/Business Development, Business in Vancouver and Fireside Chat Moderator; Frank Giustra, President & CEO, Fiore Group; Peter Armstrong, Founder & CEO Armstrong Group/Rocky Mountaineer