A company established by a group of students at the Irene B. Williams Secondary
School has been ranked among the top three in similar projects, undertaken by
students from across the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Antigua and Barbuda Green Magnates Ent., of Irene B. Williams Secondary
School (IBWSS), are the country’s winners in the inaugural Regional Schools
Investment Competition. The team members were recognized at a prize-giving
ceremony held recently at the school. The team was presented with a plaque and
the students, and their teacher-guide, received recognition certificates and prizes,
commemorating their achievement.
Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange (ECSE) board member, Sandra Derrick, of
the Board of Directors presented the welcome remarks on behalf of the ECSE and
the competition’s planning committee, while Denise Mills, Education Officer in
the Ministry of Education gave congratulatory remarks, on behalf of the Ministry.
Student member of Green Magnates Ent, Alanna Merchant shared the experience
of the team describing how they overcame challenges and gained new knowledge
and skills throughout the competition. She also thanked all who supported the team
and in particular the team’s teacher-guide, Principles of Business Teacher, Antonia
Sampson.
The Green Magnates Ent. team was ranked third overall out of the seven
competitors in the regional round of the competition. AHS Angel Investors of
Anglican High School in Grenada ranked second in the regional competition. The
VFCSS Invest of Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School, Saint Lucia was
adjudged the Regional Champion and was recognized at a prize-giving ceremony
held on 25th April, in Saint Lucia.
The competition was created to be a dynamic learning experience for high school
and first-year college students and introduces them to investing while providing the
opportunity to experience securities market activities. The initiative, a
collaborative effort of the ECSE, the Eastern Caribbean Securities Regulatory
Commission, and the licensed member broker-dealers, aims to stimulate an interest
in investing among young persons and create a pathway for them to become active
market participants in the future.