Canada Named Top 3 Countries for Youth Entrepreneurship!
This past July, two high schools from Ontario attended the Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) Global Competition located in Buffalo, New York to represent Canada.
Arch Bishop Romero Catholic Secondary School of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) and Georges Vanier Secondary School of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) were the two representative schools showcasing how youth are leading the future!
Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship
Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship—SAGE—is a global community of youth entrepreneurs sharing a common purpose: to make the world a better place. High school students form teams and implement various ventures and projects focused on social enterprise, socially responsible businesses and community service within their own communities and those around the world.
This year, 15 countries competed for the title of The SAGE Global Champion. Countries that attended were Burundi, Canada, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Great Britain, Ireland, Kenya, Nigeria, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Ukraine, United States of America and Zambia.
Competition
The weekend began with various networking activities and excursions around Buffalo, New York. The most unforgettable event was the cultural fair & show, where each country had the opportunity to show the world a piece of their home. Students were able to network with other countries, learn more about their culture, and even have the opportunity to trade symbolic items to take back home.
During the cultural show, each country had the opportunity to showcase a part of their heritage. Attendees were immersed in song and dance from different parts of the world and able to experience the richness of new traditions and rituals.
After the fun and games, the real competition began.
There are two topics involved at the competition;
1) Socially Responsible Business
2) Social Enterprise Business
Each topic has a set criterion that teams are given to focus their ventures and projects towards at the beginning of the year.
The competition was broken down into two rounds of presentations. In the first round there were four leagues consisting of two to three teams, each presenting at a randomly drawn time. Only one winner from each league advanced to the final round where the winning team was selected during the closing ceremonies.
The presentations were broken down into 30-minute time slots for each team. Each team was allotted 10-minutes for technical set up, 13-minutes for their presentation, and a 7-minute question and answer period. Teams from each country present the results they’ve achieved over the school year, to a panel of industry professionals from around the globe.
The quality of SAGE projects from around the world was inspiring! Projects ranged from carbon emission reduction initiatives to sales of educational children books. It was a tough decision for the judges during the final round, as teams passionately and proudly showcased their hard work and efforts.
The final results within the Socially Responsible Business topic in order from first to fourth were:
- Nigeria
- China
- Canada
- South Africa
The final results within the Social Enterprise Business topic in order from first to fourth were:
- Nigeria
- U.S.A
- Canada
- Ukraine
Key Takeaways
The most important value our Canadian youth received from this competition was not the title, but the friendships and experience gained.
“My experience at SAGE was life changing… to see change in your own community is one thing but to see all the countries around the world making change is inspiring… The most important thing I took from SAGE was the new friends I made and the stories made…”
- Nigel Swaggaroo, Presenter of SAGE Arch Bishop Romero
It is amazing what one experience can do for an individual and the impact they will continue to make. Through one experience, a new perspective is gained, hope is renewed and fire is fueled.
“The SAGE Global competition taught me that no matter where you come from there are always social issues in our community and that through entrepreneurship and teamwork, we the students can overcome them no matter where we are or where we come from.”
- Abbas Ali Jerrah, Co-President of SAGE Vanier
Appreciation
In order for youth like Nigel and Abbas to have been given this opportunity many people are in need of appreciation.
SAGE Supporters: A big thank you goes out to all the individuals who have helped out with each SAGE teams projects. Whether it was through volunteering, guiding or even purchasing their products, your support has contributed to their significant achievements.
Teacher Advisors: Without a master there is no student. A most gracious thank you to the competing team teacher advisors; James Scott Neil (Arch Bishop) and Gloria Yoon (Georges Vanier), who invested their time and wisdom to developing their students inside and outside of the classroom.
SIFE Ryerson: Without a doubt, the team of SIFE Ryerson has done an outstanding job operating the SAGE program in Canada, as well providing mentorship, guidance and education to these teams.
Future Out Look
There is a bright future ahead of us for Canada and the Global communities. After witnessing the great deeds and passion of SAGE teams, we can only expect more to come.
In Canada, we embrace diversity and strive to grow. Connecting with youth willing to take a stand and lead the change will shape our future. Through SIFE Ryerson, the SAGE Canada team is here to support and guide youth to better themselves and communities around the world.
Check out SAGE Canada on Facebook for more photo’s of the competition
For more information about SAGE Global please visit www.SAGEGlobal.org
For more information on SIFE Ryerson please visit www.SIFERyerson.com
