Expanding the Junior Achievement program activities into the region of Western Serbia: seminar for high school teachers from this Region has been held in Vrnjačka Banja, February 3th-7th 2005 - This Seminar, aimed at introducting the JAS activities into the Region of Western Serbia, was supported by the donation of Mercy Corps (one of the American organizations implementing USAID's CRDA program in this Region). The JAS shall during the second half of the current academic year (2004/2005) start implementing its initial programs in the region of Western Serbia, too. Hence, this Seminar, held in the Postmens' Home Hotel (Postanski dom) included 32 volunteering high school teachers from the following twelve municipalities of the Western Serbia Region: Krusevac, Novi Pazar, Nova Varos, Kursumlija, Priboj, Tutin, Aleksandrovac, Ivanjica, Varvarin, Prokuplje, Raska i Trstenik.

The teachers have been instructed for performing the JAS programs that has already become a standard educational >package<. These are: JA Applied Economics, the subjuct that introduce youngsters into the world of business and entrepreneurship, i.e. making them familiar with basic notions and concepts of contemporary market economy. In addition; than Student Company, which is practical study-subject within which participants have been encouraged to try conceiving and implementing their entrepreneurial undertakings. Finally, they have also got opportunity to learn about MESE computer simulation, aimed at making students quickly familiar with the conditions of market-place competition, and at the same time providing for them the new range of opportunities for getting easily connected via Internet with the same-age students throughout the world.

The participants of this Seminar have taken part into its activities with the great deal of interest, personal motivation and creativity, hence after five days of intensive activities obtaining their Certificates of being capable to teach successfully the JA educational program in their schools. In addition, as always, together with lots of exchanges of professional ideas and the other subject-matter related discussions, the new lasting personal friendships have been also established. It seem that such a good and cheerful atmosphere has already become a recognizable >trade mark< at the JAS professional meetings.

The Seminar training was conducted by Vesna Stoiljkovic, while Vladimir Vlasic, the JAS administrator for MESE competitions presented the MESE - computer simulation of a company's operation in market environment. The organizational and professional support was rendered by Zvonko Brnjas, JAS Executive Director, and by Irena Komazec, the JAS assistant.