Creating meaningful opportunities right here at home and across the globe for high school students.

That's the driving force behind a new partnership officially launched Thursday between Junior Achievement Guam and the Business and Technology Academy Charter School.

Through this five-year agreement, Junior Achievement programs will be woven into classroom learning, after-school initiatives, and student competitions, bringing real-world skills directly to BTACS students.

Meg Tyquiengco, Vice Chair of JA Guam, and Josh Miller, BTACS teacher and JA Guam Executive Director, are among the key voices championing this collaboration.

“Guam might have a limited talent pool, but the talent within that pool is unlimited. We have so much potential, and as leaders, teachers, as adults, it’s really our job to bring out that,” said Tyquiengco. 

“We really want the kids not only to learn about business, but the true avenues of what comes with understanding what’s out there,” added Miller. 

From financial literacy to career readiness and entrepreneurship, the partnership enhances what’s already thriving at BTACS.

BTACS students put it best, saying, “We have engineering, aviation, marketing, entrepreneurship, and even more—this guy is in IT.”

“They go to an internship, and depending on what field they're in, they go and learn about that specific field, what to do, and how to get hired in that field, and how to get experience in that field. Which a lot of other schools, they just kind of tell you about it–but here, you actually get to experience it,” said BTACS sophomore Harry Elliot. 

“I’m doing an internship with a company called Tech Evo–they’re more of a smaller business–more of an IT and payroll company–so hopefully with this partnership I could maybe get in contact with companies like Docomo Pacific, GTA, stuff like that,” said BTACS junior Joseph Toves. 

BTACS Principal Dylan Sablan and Board Chair Baltazar Atalig say this partnership is a powerful reflection of the school’s mission to prepare students for real-world success.