Stockbridge American International School holds 3rd Spark Market Junior Entrepreneurship Fair from April 11-12, 2025

In its third year, Stockbridge American International School holds a bigger Spark Market Junior Entrepreneurship Fair (JEF) for 2025. The two-day market/fair that will run from April 11 to 12, 2025 features the realized business theories of students from Grades 7 to 12 retailing their products from food to clothing, accessories to home goods at the function hall of the Luxebridge Hotel.

"These students managed their own products from theory to practice. It was a three-month process for them-- from product identification to product development, capitalization to advertising. They pitched their business modules to a panel of industry experts, who also acted as mentors. These products are launched at the JEF Spark Market," said Nicole Hao Bian Ledesma, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Joji Ilagan International Schools."

 Nicole Hao Bian Ledesma, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Joji Ilagan International Schools.

The Junior Entrepreneurship Fair (JEF) is Stockbridge’s signature learning event that brings entrepreneurship to life for students across the Primary, Middle, and Senior High levels. This year’s theme, “Innovate. Inspire. Impact. Business for a Better World,” encouraged students to explore the power of social entrepreneurship—where business meets purpose, and profit is aligned with positive change. JEF 2025 unfolded through three dynamic components designed to guide students from ideation to real-world application:

• Business Ideation Forum. A thought-provoking forum where students engaged directly with seasoned entrepreneurs through interactive workshops and dialogue. The purpose of the forum was to help students identify opportunities, refine their ideas, and explore how their businesses can serve a greater social purpose.

Forum Speakers Included Evangeline Novela, Founder of Novela Farms (sustainable agriculture and women empowerment); John Naranjo, CEO of Ingenuity Software (creativity and resilience in tech entrepreneurship; ad, Mary Grave Belviz, Director of Rosario’s Delicacies (building local brands with heart and heritage).

• Business Pitch Competition. A dynamic event where student teams presented their business plans to a panel of mentors. The pitch competition was designed to simulate real-world startup presentations, helping students practice persuasive communication, validate their ideas, and receive actionable feedback from experts.

The mentors—Kenneth Lao, co-founder of Cacao Culture Farms, and Mischa Alngog and President of JCI Daba-Daba and a business consultant—played a key role in guiding students through the lens of practical business thinking. Drawing from their backgrounds in sustainable enterprise and youth leadership, they offered insights on market readiness, clarity of messaging, and social relevance. They were deeply impressed by the students’ confidence, originality, and purpose-driven thinking, noting that their ideas reflected a level of maturity beyond their years.

• Spark Market. An open marketplace event where student-led enterprises officially launched and sold their products to real customers. The Spark Market fostered entrepreneurial spirit, customer engagement, and hands-on business operations experience, bringing the students’ ideas into the real world. From eco-friendly items to tech innovations and community-focused services, each booth was a reflection of the creativity, empathy, and bold thinking nurtured throughout the fair.

At Stockbridge American International School, the Junior Entrepreneurship Fair is more than a school event—it is a launchpad for future leaders and changemakers. Through real-world opportunities to create, pitch, and launch meaningful ventures, our students learn what it means to lead with purpose and make a difference.

With the guidance of inspiring mentors and the support of our school community, JEF 2025 reaffirms our mission: to empower young people not just to prepare for the future—but to shape it. 

(With PR)