Hilo Trade Fair to Showcase Junior Achievers Over Black Friday Weekend

Students from East Hawai‘i high schools are anxious to test their sales skills and showcase the products they designed and manufactured during the upcoming.

This year’s annual two-day event will be held in the Old Navy wing of Price Kuhio Plaza on Black Friday and Saturday, Nov. 23 and 24, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

The 77 high school students from Hilo, Waiakea, Kea‘au, Kamehameha and St. Joseph are organized into four companies, each sponsored by a local business and advised by members of Hilo’s business community.

United Youth, the JA company sponsored by HFS Federal Credit Union, has prepared locally sourced potted succulents, which include a watering kit and a metal cuff bracelet featuring a natural quartz pendant.

“Our goal is to create quality products for our customers at competitive prices,” said company public relations Vice President Daniel Briski.

JA company Hanauna Hou, sponsored by Na Leo TV, developed two products for the Trade Fair: gold single-pearl necklaces and gold pearl-and-heart charm bangles.

“Both our necklaces and our bangles have four different colored pearls to choose from, each with a corresponding meaning,” said Sabina Boo-Rivera, president of Hanauna Hou.

Chosen 2 Achieve (C2A) is the HPM Building Supply-sponsored team. C2A’s members screen-printed kitchen towels and sewed scrunchies.

“Scrunchies have recently made a real come-back, so they’ll make a great holiday gift for all of the women on your list who have long hair,” said Emilia Wagner-Prekaski, C2A’s VP of production.

Lastly, Maika‘i Productions, Big Island Toyota’s sponsored company, will showcase handmade cork coasters with local designs and trendy shoelace bracelets.

Kekoa Gomes, Hilo High senior and Maika`i’s president, said the company’s mission is “to learn valuable skills and gain first-hand knowledge in business.”

“I’m excited for the students to experience what it takes to be successful in running a business,” said Alan Shiraishi, JA of Hawai‘i Island’s new district manager. “By facing real workplace challenges, their self-confidence grows, and they develop excellent relationship-building skills.”

In addition to the high school Company Program conducted each fall, Junior Achievement of Hawai‘i Island teaches business and economics to nearly 4,000 East Hawai‘i students from kindergarten through 12th grade each year through hundreds of volunteers.

For more information about JA programs on the Big Island, contact Shiraishi at jahilo@jahawaii.org or visit the trade fair this weekend at Price Kuhio Plaza, 111 E Puainako St. in Hilo.