YOU can’t help being impressed with the achievements of the Science and Environmental Club at Waterford High School in Portmore, St Catherine.

Theirs is a story that warms the heart. For, in the midst of all the complaining and forecast of doom and gloom by some people, stand these bright, energetic students who have created an array of natural products that, with proper marketing and investment, can become a source of economic benefit for them and their school.

On Monday we reported that these students have used local plants and fruits to manufacture facial cleansing soap bars in a variety of essences, including garlic and lemongrass, orange, and aloe. Using the brand name Nature’s Drop, they have also produced a shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and mosquito repellent.

Most naturally, they are proud of their innovation which earned them seventh place in Katalyxt’s Youth Innovation Competition held earlier this month and organised by Mint Management and Finance Services Limited.

The competition, we are aware, engages high school students from third to sixth form to participate and develop an appetite for innovation. As such, it instils in the students the acumen to be future business leaders.

Mint Management and Finance Services Limited deserves high commendation for this competition because it enhances the ROSE II programme that includes studies in resource and technology.

That, we hold, is important to Jamaica’s future development, as the country needs to continue creating and encouraging entrepreneurial talent among our young people.

Quite possibly, financial institutions, or manufacturing entities, could look at the products being created by students and see how best they can form some alliances to ensure that the students’ zeal to produce is not dampened by an inability to attract investment capital.

For, as we suggested before, the schools and the students can realise some form of income stream from these ventures — income that could go towards improving infrastructure at the schools and, likely, meet other needs.

Ms Tera Rankine, the Science and Environmental Club facilitator at Waterford High, is to be commended for her commitment to her alma mater and her determination to instil self-confidence in the students. Kudos must go as well to the principal, Ms Cecile Bernard, because the kind of innovation that we are seeing at Waterford High does not happen without good leadership.

We extend our best wishes to the school as it showcases its products at this year’s Denbigh Agricultural Show. Hopefully, an investor, or two, will take a leap of faith with them.