ARAMARK Inspires Tomorrow’s Business Leaders
In an effort to
support the business leaders of tomorrow, volunteers from ARAMARK
helped Philadelphia area high school students complete the Junior
Achievement (JA) Company Program, during which the students created and
operated a real company the students named “Young Entrepreneurs of
Today (Y.E.T.)”
Two hours a week for 12 weeks, 21 students and
eight volunteers met at company headquarters in Philadelphia to develop
their company. The students selected products, conducted market
research and developed a sales strategy. The ARAMARK volunteers taught
the JA curriculum, guided the students through the program and shared
their own personal work experiences.
The team selected a
Valentine’s Day gift bag as their product, which included a teddy bear,
a candle, candy, and Mardi Gras beads. The students sold 146
Valentine’s Day gift bags, surpassing their goal of 100, and had sales
over $1,000. The team decided to donate a portion of their profit,
nearly $200, to The Ronald McDonald House charities.
"The Junior
Achievement program is a wonderful way to help develop our future
business leaders,” said Andrew Kerin, President, Food, Hospitality and
Facilities Services, and Board President for Junior Achievement of the
Delaware Valley. “I have been involved with this organization for many
years and I am very proud of the committed ARAMARK volunteers that
dedicated so much of their personal time in support of our young
people.”
ARAMARK, a proud partner of Junior Achievement for more
than 30 years, is one of five area companies that participated in this
year’s program. ARAMARK students will compete against students from
the four other companies to determine the President of the Year, Vice
President of the Year, Employee of the Year, Salesperson of the Year,
and Company of the Year awards. These awards will be presented at the
Junior Achievement golf event in April.
The students in this
year’s program hailed from Cardinal Dougherty High School, Cheltenham
High School, Franklin Learning Center, Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Little
Flower Catholic High School, Lower Moreland High School, Norristown
Area High School, Olney High School, and Upper Darby High School.
To learn more about Junior Achievement, please visit www.ja.org.