FEATURE | LUMEN
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The journey was demanding and challenging at times , however , the overall experience was extremely rewarding and we are definitely grateful to have had this opportunity to compete with the other local and international teams .
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Diploma Programme . The team first made it through several rounds of elimination to reach the National Finals , in which it was then selected to represent Singapore and emerged the global champions . Their winning formula was an innovative learning e-platform to help students in their studies regardless of their financial background . This concept took the standard question and answer platform , enhancing it with a social networking aspect , which in turn made revenue through partnerships with businesses to provide coupons for the students .
In the four-day JA Europe Alumni Conference “ Unplugged ”, the students were able to meet and interact with young entrepreneurs all over Europe , and gained much from these motivated individuals through the various speeches and interactive workshops where they shared their success and challenges of their start-ups in a very competitive global world . Many innovative business ideas with social causes were shared . More importantly , the passion and resilience demonstrated by the young entrepreneurs was inspiring .
Some of the highlights of the conference included the opening dinner on a cruise ship , with a view of scenic Prague at night ; the trip to Ostrava , where the students visited Lower Vítkovice , an 18th century industrial village preserved in time and Vnitroblock , an open space where local designers and entrepreneurs gather to create artistic ideas and products . The trip ended with a formal gala dinner at the famous Charles River that was made even more memorable with a spectacular display of fireworks . After the conference , the students enjoyed sightseeing in idyllic Prague , where they immersed themselves in the Old Town ’ s rich history amidst traditional buildings and cobblestone pathways .
The entire SIR experience was best encapsulated by Thaddeus . “ The journey was demanding and challenging at times , however , the overall experience was extremely rewarding and we are definitely grateful to have had this opportunity to compete with the other local and international teams .”
Being in Prague was eye opening as the students came home with not just unique souvenirs but also new insights gained , friendships forged and memories to last a lifetime .
This page ( top left ): Jonathan , Ezekiel , Ha and Thaddeus , all dressed and ready to impress at the gala dinner
This page ( top left ): Learning from others in Prague This page ( top right ): Sharing the competition experience This page ( bottom ): Ezekiel , Ha , Jonathan and Thaddeus