JUSTIN Stoney, a student at Jamaica College, was excited to be a participant in the recently concluded JN Foundation summer camp. The 14-year-old was beaming after being taken on a career journey in tech, and being exposed to financial literacy, financial planning, and tech entrepreneurship.

“I enjoyed the summer camp as I was able to interact with like-minded persons. The various presentations were very informative, and I learned a lot from the presenters who are working in the tech space,” the budding software developer said.

“I also enjoyed the tour of the museum at the Bank of Jamaica as I learned about the history of money, how it is made, and the advantages of the new series of Jamaican banknotes that replaced the old currency,” he added.

Justin was among 300 students who attended the virtual summer camp which was held over the course of three days under the theme, ‘Building Future FinTech Innovators: Skills for Life’.

Fifteen of the students were hosted at a luncheon at Jamaica National Group’s corporate offices in New Kingston recently, after making a courtesy call on the executives and senior managers at the organisation.

Welcoming the students, Earl Jarrett, chief executive officer and deputy chairman of Jamaica National Group, encouraged them to embrace the opportunities presented.

“The foundation of Jamaica National is [about] helping persons to achieve financial security and stability in their lives through homeownership and so what we did here with the summer programme is a continuation of that message by ensuring that you understand how to use money [wisely],” he told the students.

“Jamaica National, through this summer programme, presents an opportunity for you to learn about money and new approaches such as technology and its impact on money and financial planning, which is crucial,” he pointed out, noting that Jamaica has one of the lowest saving rates in the Caribbean.

Parris Lyew-Ayee, chairman of JN Foundation and who was also present at the luncheon, urged the students to carry forward the knowledge gained at the summer camp and use the experience as a stepping stone to pursue their dreams and aspirations.

“Embrace challenges, stay curious, and continue to collaborate and learn from each other. Thank you for being a part of this summer camp, and I have no doubt that you will create a brighter, more inclusive financial landscape for generations to come,” he said.

Several parents were also grateful for the exposure provided to their children. Tanya Warmington, who also attended the luncheon, commended JN Foundation for hosting the summer camp.

“I just want to say thank you for hosting this summer camp. It means a lot when you see a corporate entity investing in children,” she said.

The mounting of the summer camp, which was held July 19-21, marked the second staging of the initiative for JN Foundation, organised through its JN Financial Academy. The academy was launched in 2022 to educate, train and mentor JN members, and build their capacity to make better financial decisions that will lead them to achieve financial freedom.