WHAT DO YOU DO?

Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain, Inc. (JA) is part of the world’s largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, JA provides programs for students which focus on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness. The goal is to teach concepts through experiential learning, allowing young people to put their new knowledge and skills into practice. For example, students in an elementary school might learn about unit versus assembly line production by producing donuts. Or high school students might participate in our popular JA Stock Market Challenge, a stock market simulation competition.

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

We do it because Junior Achievement (JA) works. JA students are better prepared to succeed – and create their own futures.

When asked if being a JA student positively affected their future, 92 percent of JA graduates responded with a resounding “yes!” Our alumni are more than twice as confident that they can successfully compete in a business environment, compared to adults without JA experience.

To ensure that we continue to build upon this legacy, JA measures and reports the impact of our programs on students’ knowledge and attitudes. We contracted a third-party evaluator to measure JA students’ understanding of financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. We learned that:

-JA students are more confident in their ability to manage and control their finances.
-JA programs help students gain the skills employers need to thrive in today’s economy.
-JA students embody an entrepreneurial spirit and understand how to leverage resources to launch a business.
Perhaps the most important finding is that JA students are more optimistic about achieving future success. Optimism is the underpinning of advancement – not just material advancement – but also societal advancement and the enrichment of our neighborhoods and schools, our businesses and communities.

WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU MAKING?

Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain (JA) reached 134,081 students during the 2015/16 school year. These students experienced relevant, disruptive experiences that expanded the notions of what they are capable of, built their confidence and character, and ultimately prepared them to become self-sufficient adults.

WHAT (OR WHO) INSPIRES YOU TO MAKE THIS IMPACT?

We reach an incredible number of students each year; however, the numbers don’t tell the whole JA story. It’s the ah-ha moments like these that inspire us. For Elena, a 5th grade student, it meant shifting her goal of becoming a nail stylist to wanting to own her own chain of nail studios. This subtle difference changed how she thinks about herself and the importance of doing well in school.

Session two of JA It’s My Business turned one disengaged group of 8th grade students into the creators of a business plan for a bungee jumping service. They won the class vote for the best business idea. The teacher said he had never seen those students so engaged; they saw the potential in themselves and had someone from the business world there to help celebrate it.

One young man with a severe stutter had to stop several times during his final JA Business Week presentation. With the encouragement of his teammates, this young man made it through his presentation and was beaming by the end. Afterwards, he commented that JA taught him that his disability “is not a problem when it comes to business. I can do anything!”

WHAT IS (OR HAS BEEN) YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE?

One of our greatest challenges is recruiting and maintaining a cadre of passionate volunteers to help meet the demand from educators. Last year, we recruited, trained and placed 6,090 volunteers into area classrooms. These volunteers lead by example, giving real-world meaning to JA’s curriculum and helping students become more optimistic about school, work and life. In addition, volunteers report that delivering JA programs to students helps them to sharpen valuable business talents, including public speaking and motivational skills.

WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER LEADERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT?

In as little as one hour a week, you can make a difference in the lives of young people in your community. Your volunteer experience will leave you feeling proud, energized and hopeful about a better future for our young people!

HOW CAN OTHERS SUPPORT YOU OR YOUR CAUSE?

There are several ways you can get involved.

1) Volunteer. With training from JA, you can be in the classroom, helping K-12 students learn important concepts surrounding entrepreneurship, financial literacy and workforce readiness.

2) Donate. All of our programs are provided at no cost to schools. We count on financial support from the business community, private and community foundations, special events and individuals. All money raised is utilized locally to provide programs to students in Metro Denver, Northern Colorado, our mountain communities and in Southern Wyoming. Every year, we receive more requests for JA volunteers than we are able to fulfill.

3) Event Sponsorship. Take a look at JA’s signature events and learn how your business can help JA, and gain some exposure through participation and sponsorship opportunities.

4) Event Participation Like to bowl? Get a team together and participate in our annual JA Bowl-A-Thon. Or fuel your competitive spirit at the JA Stock Market Challenge. With four signature events throughout the year, you have multiple opportunities to support JA.