Approximately 500 students between the ages 12 to 17 years were recently given an opportunity to learn about investment and various types of investment vehicles, such as stocks, cryptocurrency and mutual funds as well as the future of payment systems.

This took place at a three-day, Building the Junior Investor Summer Camp, organised by the JN Foundation.

Dejario Dickson, a student of Wolmer’s Boys’ School and a JN Scholar who attended the summer camp, said the experience was rewarding as he learned lifelong lessons about saving, budgeting and investing that will assist him as he gets older.

IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING EARLY

The second former said his takeaway from the camp is how to build generational wealth as well as the importance of investing early.

“You can start to build your own empire and when you build on it and when it becomes successful, you can continue a new generation of wealth. All you need to do is start investing from early,” he said.

Meanwhile, one parent lauded the JN Foundation for organising the summer camp and noted that the children have learned a lot from the exposure.

“It is a brilliant idea and provided an amazing experience for the children. Whoever came up with this idea, thumbs up to them. The idea of educating kids from early to invest, and encouraging them not to squander their money, but to be responsible and inform them that investment is the way to go [is good advice],” said Melanie Guthrie.

Shanna Kaye Wright Vaughn, lead – youth and education programmes, JN Foundation, said there were more than 700 registrants for the summer camp which was held virtually, with approximately 500 children attending on all three days.

“That within itself is tremendous. The JN Foundation is happy to have exposed these secondary students to the fundamentals of financial literacy, underscoring the importance of budgeting and saving. We are happy about the feedback and that it was a success,” she said.

Wright Vaughn said the intention was to offer the summer camp annually. Six outstanding participants, along with their parent/guardian, were invited to a luncheon and meet-and-greet session where they met senior managers of the JN Group – JN Bank, JN Fund Managers and MC Systems. They were also given a tour of the JN Bank Half-Way Tree location and a hands on experience with the JN Smart ATMs and coin machine.

IMPROVING MONEY MANAGEMENT SKILLS AMONG JAMAICANS

The participants in the summer camp benefited from presentations from representatives of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, Carib DAO, as well as from JN Group member companies: JN Fund Managers, JN Bank and MC Systems and the JN Foundation.

The summer camp was executed under the JN Foundation BeWi$e Financial Empowerment programme which has, for close to a decade, been bringing financial literacy to Jamaicans through training at various institutions and organisations across Jamaica. The aim is to raise the level of financial literacy and improve money management skills among Jamaicans.