Thirty secondary students from 21 schools, including six of our junior reporters, joined the first summer business programme organised by the Richard Ivey School of Business, Asia, earlier this month. Organisers hope the two-week course will let secondary students experience Ivey's unique case learning methods and help nurture future business leaders. The students also got a taste of life in the real business world. Here the reporters recount their experiences. Arielle Wat Yuen-mei, 18, Hong Kong Academy The programme was one of the highlights of all my summers. The excellent teaching helped me to discover my leadership potential and hone my decision-making skills. I only had minimal knowledge in business, but I learned a lot during the course. It was also very rewarding to work together with my fellow classmates in groups as we prepared for our presentation in the final case competition. Sonia Vashi, 18, Renaissance College We had two amazing professors, Julie Gosse and David House from Richard Ivey University in Western Ontario. They were incredibly knowledgeable and also fun. The case study method was new to me but it has given my analytical skills a huge boost. It taught me how many businesses operate. Our case competition required us to create a formal marketing plan from scratch. Through intense discussion and analysis, we presented a 20-minute-long marketing plan. I met many different people who had diverse perspectives. It was an invaluable experience. Lily Tong Hok-lee, 18, Shun Lee Catholic Secondary School We were taught some basic but very useful business skills and techniques. There was a discussion of real cases, with the creative learning atmosphere making it a unique experience. I was delighted to meet my classmates, who were nice as well as brilliant. We devoted lots of time and effort to our case competition. We looked mature and professional in our formal suits. I am already missing the excellent lecturers, my lovely classmates and the classroom experience. This is definitely an unforgettable experience that everyone should have. Gio Ambrocio, 17, King George V School At first I thought the course would be a bore like many summer courses. It wasn't. I learned so much about the business world. On the side, I also formed lasting friendships. In fact, I was sad the course came to an end. The lecturers' unique teaching style and the friendly atmosphere were both memorable and effective. We were encouraged to participate fully in class. There were many heated debates and exchanges of ideas. It was fun and informative. Our projects challenged us to think outside the box. We had to think freely on our own without help from the teachers. Karen Allisa Napoles, 18, Delia Memorial School Not knowing anyone there, I felt like an outsider at first. However, my classmates were approachable and friendly. We all came from different backgrounds, but we realised we had many common interests. I have now 29 more friends and I will miss them all! I will never forget all the fun and hard work we put into our case competition. I would definitely participate again, given a chance. Cheers to Ivey! I am also thankful to Young Post for giving me the opportunity to participate in this programme. Michelle Li Kar-lam, 16, Renaissance College The professors made even complicated matters sound simple. The numerous case studies were effective, offering us an insight into real-life business situations. As a student, I found it easy to step into the shoes of executives in our case studies. I learned that business decisions need to be taken with care and foresight.