WATERVILLE — Junior Achievement of Maine is set to host its 19th annual JA Titan Challenge for high school students on Thursday, April 3. This immersive business competition introduces students to business, entrepreneurship and leadership development by providing a real-world simulation that puts students in the CEO seat to run a cell phone company.

The challenge is part of the JA Titan Experience, a five-week program taught in the classroom by JA volunteers. It culminates into a single-day, statewide challenge hosted at businesses and universities throughout the state. Thomas College is one of eight host sites, uniting schools, students, and companies within Maine. As a tool to develop Maine’s workforce, the JA Titan Experience introduces students to career pathways and career clusters within specific industries within Maine, according to a news release from MacKenzie Young at Thomas College.

Teams of students will compete as they each make decisions for their cell phone company based on elements like profit equation, predicting business outcomes, budgeting, research and development, and corporate social responsibility. Mentors from the community and within Thomas College support students by sharing their own work and life experience, networking with students, and providing guidance during several rounds of competition.

Thomas College alumni, faculty and staff will serve as mentors, including Brian King, alumnus and Thomas College board member and Junior Achievement board member; Travis Dow, alumnus; Don Cragen, faculty; Tyler LeClair, alumnus; Brooke Haskell, staff member; and Ryan Kappelmann, alumnus and staff member.

The 2025 Challenge, the biggest to date, will match nearly 300 high school students with over 100 mentors from businesses and organizations across the state. There will be a regional winning team at each location, as well as a first- and second-place winning team. Members of the top two teams will receive scholarships for post-secondary education donated by Machias Savings Bank.

The event is hosted at eight locations from 8:15 a.m.-1:45 p.m. April 3:

Tyler Technologies, Yarmouth
Dead River Company, South Portland
Systems Engineering, Portland
IDEXX, Westbrook
Bangor Savings Bank, Bangor
Thomas College, Waterville
Machias Savings Bank, Machias
University of Maine, Presque Isle Campus

To learn more visit maine.ja.org.