CORAL HARBOUR - Two Grade 12 students from Sakku School in Coral Harbour showed well at the Federal Development Bank's E-spirit program in Moncton, N.B., this past month.

Grade 12 students Kayla Maclean and Norman Nakoolak Jr. of Sakku School in Coral Harbour developed a business plan for the Salliq Cafe as part of the Federal Development Bank's E-spirit program in Moncton, N.B., this past month. - photo courtesy of Lisom Tam-Eveleigh

E-spirit encourages youth to think about business opportunities in their communities and create business plans for competition with youth across Canada.

There are seven modules required to complete a project, as well as video and PowerPoint presentations.

Kayla Maclean and Norman Nakoolak Jr. completed the task to represent Sakku in Moncton.

The two had the distinction of doing the first PowerPoint presentation at the event.

Teacher Lisom TamEveleigh facilitated the modules with Maclean and Nakoolak, while Aaron Folkins spent two months helping them with their trade table display.

Rick Aucoin helped to fine-tune their PowerPoint presentation, while Steve Allan aided with oral presentations.

Tam-Eveleigh said nine students took part in the E-spirit program at Sakku.

She said Maclean and Nakoolak acquitted themselves quite well against 79 other teams in Moncton.

"There were about 100 of their peers in the room for PowerPoint presentations, and it took a lot of courage on their part to actually lead off," said Tam-Eveleigh.

"They did extremely well, especially when you consider some schools have been competing for 10 or 11 years.

"Their trade table display attracted a lot of attention at the event.

"If I was reviewing the viability of their Salliq Cafe business plan independently, I would say they were three-quarters of the way there."

The Salliq Cafe was presented as a place for people to enjoy time away from home and light meals.

Tam-Eveleigh said Sakku School was involved in the E-spirit program in 2004.

She said the program helps students learn what it takes to organize a business plan, then get it operational and properly marketed.

"The seven modules also expose them to location, community demographics, accounting, pricing and getting things up here, so it requires a fair amount of thought.

"E-spirit really does encourage students to think about possibilities that may exist in their own community.

"You're not always going to get pre-existing businesses to hire in the North, and it's much nicer to be self-employed and working your own hours to get what you want out of your business.

"You can get a little further ahead and also employ other people."

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