Campent Enrprise

A CampEnterprise Experience (By: Ryan Kelly)

So I walked into my Entrepreneur Studies class a couple of months ago, and my teacher handed me this sheet. He said, “I think you might be interested in this.”

One thing led to another, and I eventually ended up at Camp Enterprise, a four-day overnight trip that took place on May 4-7, 2006. It is run by the Rotary Club at the YMCA Cedar Glen Conference Centre in Bolton. The camp is put on for aspiring high school students who are interested in entrepreneurship and the business world. Now, before you start ripping on me for attending something that sounds more boring and nerdy than an accountant watching paint dry, hear me out. This camp was extraordinary. This was not like a “watered-down drinks, creaky cabins, boring instructors and lazy campers” kind of camp. This was an entirely different, unique experience.

Based around business and entrepreneurship, in an almost completely non-business-like setting, Camp Enterprise has been successfully run by the “7070/7080” District Rotarians for over 20 years. This year, 63 students ranging from Grade 10 to 12 from as far west Orangeville to as far east as East Gwillimbury jumped into Camp Enterprise headfirst and came out of the water with a new perspective on business, people and life.

Certainly the best and most challenging activity came on the second day. All the campers were divided into 8 groups and secluded from each other around the campgrounds to come up with a small business, which was to be presented to four bankers from the Bank of Montreal that night. After a long day of brainstorming, planning, and perfecting, the businesses were born. Some great ideas for these small businesses included a premium gas delivery service (as if gas isn’t expensive enough!), a computer tutoring service, a youth nightclub, and my group’s project (and therefore my favourite!), a retirement home educator company. Seeing the ingenuity and presentation skills of the students was truly amazing.

Some other activities that we took part in were labour-management negotiations, which are quite the challenge, a talk with Tayler Parnaby, the main voice of CFRB 1010, a talk with Donna Messer, the president of ConnectUs Communications Canada and quite possibly one of the most dynamic and interesting persons I’ve ever had the chance to meet in my life, rock climbing and high-ropes courses, and the Business Game, to name a few. All of these activities gave each camper a chance to interact with successful people who have a strong interest in sharing their experiences with us, while having fun all the while.

All in all, every attendee made some new friends and shared in experiences that they will undoubtedly never forget. I personally enjoyed the time I spent at Camp Enterprise immensely, and I will continue on in my life in whatever I choose to do remembering the lessons and knowledge that I gained. Of course, none of this could have ever happened without the funding from the 7070/7080 District Rotary Club and the support of the many Rotarians who took it upon themselves to attempt (successfully, I might add!) to control 63 teenagers on this overnight excursion. Some key people that I would like to acknowledge are Doug Witherspoon, Réal Gagnon, Jamie Maynard, and all of the others who took it upon themselves to Camp Enterprise a wonderful learning experience.

For any high school student considering a career in the business field, I strongly suggest attending Camp Enterprise. It far exceeded both my expectations and the expectations of all that I met. Ask your business teacher, your guidance counsellor, or whoever would be able to get their hands on an application for next year’s Camp Enterprise and apply. If you learn only two things at Camp Enterprise, it will be that the business world is not as “cut and dry” as it seems, and that the Rotary Club is one of the greatest, most supportive organizations ever to exist. After all, they fully sponsored all of the 63 attendees that came to Camp Enterprise at $350 per person and donated enough money for 20 kids to be inoculated for polio for every guest speaker they brought in. In fact, they are close to completely eradicating polio all over the world through their quarter-century old PolioPlus campaign! If learning these two things takes spending four days at a camp, then it is definitely worth it. You may even consider joining Rotary or one of it’s affiliated organizations (if you’re a teenager, look for an Interact club in your school) and making it an integral part of your life like I am.

However, these two things will not be the only things you learn at Camp Enterprise, and I can guarantee that. The three simple things you have to do to truly believe this are apply for Camp Enterprise, be accepted and see for yourself.

Ryan Kelly is a student in Grade 11 at Holy Trinity School in Richmond Hill. He is an avid baseball player, the Head of the Music Council at his school, an honour roll student and plans on pursuing either business or accounting in university.

ROTARY'S CAMP ENTERPRISE HOLDS THE KEY TO THE FUTURE (By: Chanel Beckenlehner published at Era Banner)

Just imagine in three and half days a camping experience, that joins the youth and completely emerges them in wisdom, knowledge, inspiring key note speakers and exhilarating events. Camp Enterprise was founded and driven by the Rotary Club's mission statement of Service Above Self. This camp is offered annually throughout North America to high school seniors who are forward thinking leaders, potential future entrepreneurs who are eager to tap onto the understanding of the free enterprise system.

Over 60 high school students just recently attended the Camp Enterprise / Rotary Club experience this past weekend May 4th to the 7th at the Cedar Glen YMCA Camp located in Bolton, Ontario. This fun filled, intensive, unique weekend workshop provided many opportunities for the next generation of business leaders. Some of the highlights this program offered students to learn about was the chance to speak about pressing economic issues faced today, an insight into business concepts, how to develop teamwork skills through challenging team games as well as many presentations made by top businesses executives and entrepreneurs. Students had the chance to meet and speak with motivational speakers such as Tayler Parnaby, Jim Grant,the District 7070 Governor Joan Hayward and the District 7080 governor Syd Harmon. Through creative and innovative panel discussions,students learned about the private enterprise system, how to develop skills on the art of negotiation through the Labour Management Negotiation Game as well as the chance to create a small business including the financial breakdown,that was presented to four top bankers from the Bank of Montreal. Other notable speakers included the President of ConnectUs Communications Canada; Donna Messer,who spoke about the importance of effective networking skills and how to utilize the people around us in daily life as linking steps to succeed. Taylore Anderson spoke of her creation Superminds in which students learned how to develop the high performance state of mind as well as the critical importance of finding a passion in life and persistently dedicating yourself wholeheartedly to see the dream come alive. This program taught young people the significance of forming relationships with mentors such as Rotarians because they provide a team of inspirational and encouragement.

This action packed weekend was a great experience. Solid friendships, the lasting kind, were cemented through the recreational and leisure activities that the camp offered. This was an experience of a lifetime that I will always treasure. May I quote the twenty reasons of joining Rotary " Friendship, Business Development, Personal Growth and Development, Leadership Development, Citizenship in the Community, Education, Fun, Public Speaking Skills, Citizenship in the World, Nice People, Prestige, Cultural Awareness, Development of Ethics, Vocational Skills, The Opportunity to Serve, Absence of Official Creed, Entertainment, Assistance When Travelling, Family Programs and the Development of Social Skills."Camp Enterprise encompassed it all.Thank you to the Rotary Clubs who held the key and the golden opportunity to unlock the dreams of the youth. Together we can unite for the betterment of mankind.

Other projects Rotary supports are Polio Plus, Healthy Beginnings and RADAR. Some programs Rotary has developed are Rotoract, Interact for high school students, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Group Study Exchange, Student Exchange and a $25 000 US Ambassadorial Scholarship. If you would like to get involved please contact your local district Rotary Club.

Chanel Beckenlehner is a Grade 12 Honour Roll student at Huron Heights Secondary School. She is looking into undergraduate degree in Political Science and plans to major in Law. Her extracurricular activities include competitive Dressage Equestrian studies and the Dramatic Arts.

Rotary Camp Enterprise – A Blend of Learning, Experiencing & Fun!

By Tanisha Rajput

‘Inspirational, Educational and Fun’

These were some of the words used by the 56 students from grade 11 and 12 to describe their experience at the four-day action-packed Camp Enterprise in Bolton.

The camp which took place from April 23^rd to April 26^th was jointly hosted by the Rotary Clubs of Alliston, Aurora, Bolton, Brampton, Orangeville and Richmond Hill.

The camp gave students a deeper insight into the world of entrepreneurs. Everyone who attended had the opportunity to participate in interactive, fun activities while gaining hands-on experience in the business sector.

There was plenty of knowledge and trends associated with corporations shared during the activities.

More importantly this group of dynamic and motivated students developed and sharpened the important skills they will need as they move forward into college and university. Skills like team-building, intrapersonal communications and networking techniques that will help young entrepreneurs excel and grow as they move forward in their chosen professions.

Prominent motivational speakers including Taylor Parnaby from CFRB Radio, Jamie Maynard from Canadian Federation Of Independent Business, and the amazing Donna Messer from ConnectUs Canada were also a part of this unique experience. The students got valuable tips on how to succeed - directly from the pros. According to Jesse Rightmyer, an enthusiastic participant, “All the speakers inspired me; meeting new friends was an added bonus.”

The camp focused on three separate and different aspects of business. The first activity included seven small groups of students who spent all day inventing and planning out a new business. Each team got the opportunity to present the business plan to a team of Financial Brokers from the Bank of Montreal. The purpose was to secure a loan of $7500.00 maximum and to receive feedback on their plan. What a tremendous experience for everyone! We asked ourselves, “how many high school students get an opportunity to make a detailed and an in depth business case that’s almost ready to roll over and have professionals guidance from the experts?”

The next activity was yet another assignment to be completed with a team effort. The groups of students were either on the Management team or part of a Union. The scenario presented was that the workers of the company were on strike. Each group was given details on the strike and had to negotiate and find an amicable solution to come to terms and make decisions that best favored both sides. This activity was a perfect simulation of how companies deal with these types of conflicts in real life. The groups planned out their tactics, negotiated professionally and at times had heated and angry conversations.

The last core activity was a business game, once again in groups. This time the groups represented competing corporations who had to stay up-to-date with the market trends, plan out their procurement and/or sales strategies, hire and layoff workers and find ways of surviving in the ever changing economic climates.

Some may call it sheer luck as the situations were determined randomly by a turning wheel, but in the end the groups who worked strategically and applied their business knowledge and common sense were the ones to come on top.

Apart from these activities, the camp was entertaining and kept students engaged and enthusiastic all weekend long. “The camp was not just lecturing, it was fun! We watched movies, ate pizza, danced, and had plenty of outdoor activities,” said Mengheang Kea, a participant who immigrated from Cambodia in 2006. Mengheang was also chosen by the rest of the participants to receive the Leadership Award.

The camp activities assured students from all districts mingled and cemented lasting friendships.

According to another happy camper, Ravi Jammu, “It is unbelievable how we all became such good friends within a matter of two days. Especially when getting ready for the dance, all the girls were helping each other with makeup and hair – it was more like we have known each other for years!”

To top it all of, the catering services were excellent and delicious and healthy meals and snacks were provided throughout the day. Plenty of veggie and non-veg choices were available.

Jason Cherniak, a Rotarian from Richmond Hill, deserves credit for the tremendous effort he put into organizing and overseeing the entire event. When asked why he chose to take on such a huge responsibility, he replied “The camp reminded me of what it was like to be in school again, learning everyday and enjoying the process.”

His commitment and passion towards the event definitely showed as it turned out to be such a memorable experience for all the participants. Not only did the program run successfully, but a great deal of effort was also put into selecting the most energetic and best students from all of the districts, who shared nothing in common but an interest in business and learning.

Thanks to the Rotarians’ interviewing process, the group was a great mix of students. Students like Logan Stewart, whose dream is to work for an organization that trains workers in less developed countries in various trades so they can become self-sufficient. Or Angie Abdilla, who is already representing Canada internationally at a business competition, called DECA.

From everyone’s perspective , “It was a job well done!” Rotarians deserve a pat on the back for helping the participants gain an unforgettable experience and new friends for life.

As someone once said, “The secret of success is to know something nobody else knows.” The participants of the Camp Enterprise have undoubtedly embarked on a remarkable journey taking with them the knowledge, skills and friendships they have gained through this Rotary initiative.