Category Archives: JA Events

Fiscal Fitness for You and Your Students - The Workshop You Can’t Afford to Miss

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January 27-29, 2011
Front Range Community College - Westminster, CO

Why is this important?
Be ahead of the curve…Colorado’s new academic standards for personal financial literacy go into effect SOON.  Make sure you are prepared to teach these crucial topics!
It is more crucial than ever for teachers to increase their financial knowledge, which can help ensure the best interest rates, minimize debt, weather personal and economic downturns, and protect assets.
Being “fiscally fit” will help you in both your personal life and you classroom!

What’s in it for you?
Funding to cover school’s substitute teacher costs
Personal stipend for Saturday’s workshop
Continuing education credit (graduation tuition provided)
Timely opportunity to increase your professional and personal knowledge

Partners: Colorado Jumpstart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, Colorado Department of Education, Colorado Council on Economic Education, Federal Reserve Banks of Kansas City-Denver Branch, Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain Inc., Take Charge America Instititute, and National Endowment for Financial Education

Generously sponsored by a grant from Great West Life & Annuity Insurance Company

5th Graders Take the Reins at the Hyatt

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Ed Bucholtz with JA student Daniel On Tuesday, 30 fifth grade students from CMS Community School in Denver too control of the Hyatt Regency Denver at Convention Center.  Students spent the day shadowing employees of the 1,100 room hotel.  They were working with everyone from  to chefs, security guards, valets, to front desk personnel, concierge and engineers.  One student even got to spend the day with General Manager, Ed Bucholtz.

“We do it because it’s the right thing to do,” said Bucholtz. “It’s a way to expose these great kids to our industry and give them an opportunity to kind of see it from the inside out.”

These 30 students got a behind the scenes look at running this luxury hotel, and who know…maybe one of them will be the General Manager of this hotel in the future.  Click here to see the story 9News did on this event.

Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain Asks Denver to Get Out the Vote For $1 Million Grant

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Sam’s Club Selects JA as one of eight nonprofits who could win big during “Giving Made Simple” Campaign

JA Be EntrepreneurialJunior Achievement – Rocky Mountain (JA) has been selected to participate in the Sam’s Club Giving Made Simple campaign, with the chance to win a $1 million grant.

Giving Made Simple is an online voting campaign in which Sam’s Club members and associates will determine how the company will allocate $4 million in charitable contributions to eight nonprofit organizations that support programs dedicated to education and small business development. The campaign runs from April 8 to May 2; the winners will be announced May 4, 2010.

“We are thrilled to be selected by Sam’s Club to participate in this online voting campaign,” said Robin Wise, president and CEO of Junior Achievement – Rocky Mountain. “With their contribution, we will be able to reach more students across the country with our entrepreneurship programs. We’re asking all of our friends, family and supporters who are Sam’s members to go online and vote for us every day through May 2.”

Giving Made Simple voting works like this—by logging on to www.samsclub.com/giving, (or by visiting Sam’s Club’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/samsclub and clicking on the “Giving” tab)—Sam’s Club members and associates can vote for one of the eight participating organizations. They can cast one vote per day for the duration of the campaign. The number of votes will determine which two organizations—one in the education category and one in the entrepreneurship category—receive $1 million for first place; $500,000 for second place; and $250,000 each for third and fourth place.

With the potential $1 million grant from Sam’s Club, Junior Achievement will broaden the reach of its JA Be Entrepreneurial™ program. The program is targeted to high school students and shows them how to build and run a real business from the ground up; it is one of JA’s newest programs and currently reaches 8,000 U.S. students. JA Be Entrepreneurial™ could reach 14,000 more students with the prize money from Sam’s Club, including hundreds of students in Colorado and Wyoming.

JA Capitalism with a Conscience at Gateway High School

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Keith Jones at Gateway HS for Capitalism With ConscienceI’ve been fortunate enough to volunteer with Junior Achievement for the past two years.  It wasn’t until this past week, however, that I conducted my first “Capitalism with a Conscience” program at Gateway High School. The program basically deals with ethics and business — doing the right thing at work.  It was a complete thrill to experience with the students!  From the moment I arrived, being greeted and treated with respect, by my JA chaperon (Tara Petersen) put me in the right frame of mind to deliver the materials. The teacher was Candy Lane and she and her class were a joy to be around.

Life is often about timing and how perfect for me to be in that classroom discussing ethics in business while the Toyota situation played out in today’s news.  We had some tremendous debates going on and the students took to the lesson and ran with it.   I know in our short time together I was able to give them something to think about and, as always, I’m sure a few of them will use the information as they move into the workforce.

As a returning volunteer, let me take the time to thank all of the JA staff for what they do. There are too many names to mention individually, but their dedication and commitment to success for all concerned (volunteer/school/JA) is unbelievable! I feel we, as adults, should take a more active role in trying to teach proper/moral business values to our youth, who in turn will be better equipped to lead our nation. I’m only hoping that as I get older, my small volunteer investment will be rewarded by having competent and compassionate leaders to look after me!

JA is a PERFECT organization to support, because when everything is said and done it’s all win/win…for the kids/school/administrators/JA and most importantly YOU. How could you NOT want to be a part of something so rewarding? GO AHEAD, TAKE THE CHANCE, AND GET INVOLVED.  THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE TO FEAR IS CHANGING A KID’S LIFE.

-Keith Jones

Looking at Ethics from Both Sides

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I recently spent an enlightening and inspiring morning discussing business ethics with a hundred or so Smoky Hill High School students.  The curriculum was the Junior Achievement Capitalism with a Conscience program, and the discussions were held in two sessions, each of which combined two business classes.  I have now conducted several of these sessions, and every previous class was around 20-25 students.  So, I must admit that I was somewhat concerned about achieving the same level of interaction with the larger combined classes.  But, it actually worked out just fine.  As always, I left feeling energized, upbeat, and glad I had been there.

First, let me say that traditional stereotypes about high school kids are simply wrong.  They are not rude or insensitive, or unmanageable, or uncommunicative.  They are smart, knowledgeable, inquisitive, and outspoken.  They think, they argue, and they ask good questions.  They wear funny clothes.  But, they really do care.

During the hour we spend together, I think I teach them a few things, and I know they teach me (or remind me of) a few things.  I help them recognize that honesty and integrity are not only the foundation of a successful business, but also the trademarks of a successful employee.  I help them look at ethics issues from both sides — employer and employee; buyer and seller.  They understand that what might look ok from one perspective, takes on a completely different hue when viewed from another.  We talk about capitalism and the fundamentals of American business, and then we relate them to current business events.  What should Toyota have done?  Why is Joe Nacchio in jail?  They form their own opinions, but they don’t think as a group.  They often disagree with me and with each other.

Finally, I have yet to present to a high school class where the teacher was not engaged and supportive.  At Smoky Hill, the teachers undoubtedly help to maintain discipline and attention.  But, they are also quick to ask questions and stimulate conversation.  They keep the students engaged, and often move the discussion in practical directions that I would not have considered.  What’s wrong with putting embarrassing information on a personal web site?  Employers can’t really get that information, can they?  The best conversations are invariably something totally unplanned.

-Steve Davis
Sr. VP – Policy and Law
Qwest Communications