Spotlight in Alliance Data System's Insight Magazine

1. A
For ASHLEY TEO, Senior Business Analyst, Business
Development for AIR MILES, working with the nonprofit
Junior Achievement (JA) has been a perfect fit — coupling
her passion for volunteering with the organization’s emphasis
on teaching students entrepreneurial, financial literacy,
and work readiness skills.
offering a platform for the students to
pitch their company to industry leaders.
The summit, with more than 350
attendees, featured a panel of crypto and
blockchain industry experts, including
keynote speaker Som Seif, founder of
Purpose Investments, and a surprise
appearance by Ethereum co-founder
Anthony Di Iorio.
Ashley said that partnering with the
LoyaltyOne and AIR MILES brand created
a surge of interest in the community and
increased the credibility of the summit.
“I would not have been able to pull off the
event without the support of LoyaltyOne
and the corporate responsibility team,”
Ashley said. “They’ve always been super
supportive of Junior Achievement, and as a
relatively new employee it’s inspiring to feel
that support.”
LoyaltyOne is considering sponsoring a
JA Company Program starting this October,
as Ashley hopes to get more associates
involved as advisors and mentors for the
next generation of leaders.
“The kids are incredible; I am blown away by
the students,” Ashley said. “They make it all
worth it. It’s personally meaningful to have
these close relationships with young people
who have huge potential in the future.”
If you would like to get involved with
Ashley and help LoyaltyOne sponsor a
JA Company Program, contact Janet Hay
at JA — jhay@jacentralontario.org.
ASHLEY VOLUNTEERS UP
TO 20 HOURS PER WEEK as a
volunteer advisor and mentor with Junior
Achievement Central Ontario’s Company
Program – an 18 week after-school
program that brings together a group of
high school students with the task of
creating a company concept, developing
the company and building outside interest,
and then either liquidate, sell or continue
the company beyond the program.
“We want to provide an opportunity for
kids to get hands-on learning experience,”
Ashley said. “JA supplements normal
school curriculum with more business
and practical skills — and the program
is completely free!”
The Toronto
Crypto Summit
This year, Ashley’s students created
myCryptoHippo – an educational
platform designed to teach young
people about blockchain technology
and how to buy and sell cryptocurrency
in a mock cryptocurrency exchange.
The legal age to purchase cryptocurrency
is 18 years old, so Ashley’s students
designed and coded a trading simulation
game that offers young people experience
in buying and selling cryptocurrency at
real-time prices using mock money.
Ashley and her mentees organized and led
The Toronto Crypto Summit on March 9th
hosted at the LoyaltyOne Headquarters
in Toronto to promote myCryptoHippo,
Volunteering has always been an enriching part of my life.
ASHLEY WAS INVITED by the United Nations’ President of the
General Assembly to represent JA Central Ontario and participate in
a Youth Dialogue to discuss youth education and employment at the
UN headquarters in New York.
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT
is the world’s largest
nonprofit organization
dedicated to educating
young people about business.
By helping youth stay
in school, encouraging
entrepreneurship, and
teaching financial literacy
skills, JA in Canada
creates an annual return
on society of $45 for every
one dollar spent.
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