Three Salmon Arm Secondary students are on their way to a national competition at the University of Manitoba.
Grade 12 student Katie Kenoras, and Sage Tomma and Kayla Butts, both in Grade 11, have earned a spot in E-Spirit, a business plan competition for aboriginal students in grades 10 to 12, created and organized by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
In its 12th year, the competition includes 160 aboriginal high school students from across the nation who will vie for the gold, silver and bronze trophy as well as for one of the 13 special achievement awards.
With Diyame Derrick as their mentor, Tomma, Butts and Kenoras have created a business plan for an aboriginal spa complete with a video describing their business.
“They usually receive 750 to 1,000 business proposals and only 75 teams are selected – with a couple more accepted if they have room,” says a proud Derrick, pointing out the girls have worked hard on their project since last fall.
At the competition, which runs from May 15 to 17, the girls will set up a trade show- type booth along with the other competitors.
There they will feature their spa, which they have named Tsqaqumt, a name that means peaceful in the Secwepmc language.
“We will peacefully relax your body and soul,” is the motto of the spa, whose products and treatments are based on the native medicine wheel.
“This is the traditional tool we use for healing and understanding the world around us,” says Derrick. “It’s comprised of the four (skin) colours and the aspects of their cultures. It also represents the whole of the person – mental, spiritual, physical and emotional.”
The local students’ booth will also feature teas and lotions that would be served at the spa – all made from traditional herbs.
“They strongly attach cultural aspect and awareness of the earth, says Derrick. “The products have no harmful ingredients and are local as much as possible.”
In order to create their business plan, the students visited and received “a lot of support” from two local spas.
Excited, tired and a bit worried, the young women are making their preservative-free products this week, prior to heading to the airport at 4 a.m. next Tuesday.
“It’s a phenomenal program being offered to aboriginal students at a time when they really need to know their strengths and be empowered,” Derrick says. “The girls have been extremely hard-working and dedicated.”
And, while they hope their business plan scores a gold medal, neither of the students is planning a spa career.
Tomma plans to earn a degree in social work from UBC, Butts is a gifted photographer who plans to attend the Kelowna Institute for Art and Technology and Kenoras has been accepted at Thompson Rivers University, where she plans on earning her BA in general arts.
Tomma, who has another year of high school to complete, already has an idea for next year’s E-spirit competition – even though she describes this year’s event as stressful.
“I learned to be more patient and more about running a business,” she says.
Butts, the budding photographer, agreed patience was one of the things she acquired and says she also learned how to work in her surroundings and with other people.
“It’s definitely going to help me a lot in the future,” she says, noting her photography is based on anything that catches her eye. “I’m really happy for this opportunity, she’s (Derrick) really helped and I appreciate all the work she’s done.”
