SAGE Canada Competition
Ryerson volunteers and judges were rapt with attention, staring into the faces of the eager young business talent at the SAGE (Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship) Canada Regional Competition. SAGE is a worldwide initiative that helps high school students establish entrepreneurial student groups and connects them with entrepreneurial university and college students and business and community leaders. Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Ryerson President, Andrea Belvedere, recently launched the Canadian SAGE program. “The success SAGE Canada has seen in only 6 months is incredible and reinforces the value of the program,” said Belvedere.
As proof of the success of this mission, SAGE Canada held the first SAGE Canada Regional Competition on Saturday May 23, at the Ted Rogers School of Management. Two schools showcased their presentation skills and their accomplishments, including Scarlett Heights Entrepreneurial Academy and Georges Vanier Secondary School. Interestingly, each school tackled the challenge differently.
Scarlett Heights’ teacher Doug Ritchie transformed a grade eleven class into a SAGE group when he realized the curriculum’s criteria could be met in this innovative way. Of course, this initiative, barely a few months old at Scarlett Heights, posed a unique set of challenges for students and instructor.
“It was very hard to focus a traditional classroom,” said Ritchie. He’s confident he’s solved the evaluation issue and that it won’t be a struggle for the next class. “It will give us a base for something new, like forming a company,” he said.
Student publicist, Jessica Bennett, said she signed up for the class because she dreamed of making a social impact. “I don’t know who was better or worse of the two competing teams,” she said. “But I think we learned we need to take a stronger business part next year…we took more of a social aspect.” The Scarlett Heights Sage team used pre-existing fundraising initiatives, like the 30-hour famine, supporting them with bake sales and a volleyball game. Funds raised were directed toward reducing world hunger.
Chante Barnwell is one of two girls on a seven-member team but the only female presenter. “You have to represent yourself a little more in business, as a girl,” she said.
Georges Vanier imitated the SIFE Ryerson team presentation style, adding their own spin, after watching the university team present at their own regional competition in March 2009. All five faced the board and then whipped around, announcing their names and roles. With shaky voices, and wide eyes, they dazzled audience members with their presentation, interspersed with video clips.
Their projects demonstrated their marketing and entrepreneurial abilities as young business people. They produced school rings and spirit wear, catering to the desires of their fellow students. The SAGE team surveyed the school on every possible aspect of the products and incorporated the results into the final products, resulting in a higher success rate.
Grade eleven co-presidents Deepak Sangha and Gajan Jegatheeswaran said everyone currently tied to the SAGE student group is continuing their work next year. Looking ahead, the team aspired to partner with other corporations, ask for assistance from the business advisory board, and seek bank funding. “We have a very supportive school. We did our best and gave 100 per cent.”
SAGE Canada founder, Andrea Belvedere, said, “I was truly impressed to see the initiatives that the SAGE participants undertook. Their presentations were professional and they demonstrated a great understanding of what it takes to create and implement projects.”
The outcome? Georges Vanier emerged the Regional Champion of the competition and Scarlett Heights the Regional Runner up.
