Junior Achievement USA has selected a group of teen entrepreneurs from La Jolla Country Day—who own and operate the San Diego company Nalu—as third place winners in the 2014 U.S. JA Company of the Year competition.
The team was selected from among 15 competing student companies representing JA operations from across the country. In addition to taking third place, Nalu won the FedEx Access Award for presenting the best business plan with the potential to create jobs and grow small businesses with environmental sustainability.
The teens also vied for the Marketing Award for the best commercial and the Ingenuity Award for the most creative product at the local competition, held May 3.
Nalu, which manufactures the only eco-friendly colored and scented surf wax, was formed by the Country Day students.
“I have watched these students throughout the year as they started and grew their business,” said Joanne Pastula, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of San Diego. “They truly demonstrate how fostering entrepreneurship can help spur economic growth through innovation and job creation.” During the national competition, the teen-run companies participated in a Washington, D.C. trade fair in which they promoted their products and pitched their companies to a panel of business leaders. The companies were evaluated on their financial performance, on an interview with the judging panel and on a formal presentation.
The annual competition is a contest of business skills, ingenuity and innovation focusing on the accomplishments of JA students aged 15 to 19 during the 2013-2014 academic year. Currently reaching nearly 15,000 U.S. students annually, JA seeks to give teens the skills to start and run their own businesses under the mentorship of a local business volunteer.
Junior Achievement of San Diego, Inc. impacted 52,000 students in kindergarten to grade during the 2013-2014 school year.