Two Junior Achievement student alumni were honored as valedictorian and salutatorian for North High School, graduating class of 2010. Bao Doan, valedictorian, was a two-time JA Business Week participant. Salutatorian Aaron Janicke was involved in the JA Company Program at North, attended JA Business Week in 2008 and served as a student ambassador at the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.
Both students were featured on the DPS website.
Congratulations to the entire 2011 graduating class!
On Saturday, April 16th, 37 elementary school teachers came together for an all-day training on personal financial literacy. Taught by Professor Katie Sauer, PhD, Metro State College, teachers learned the ins and outs of personal finances and economics for their own lives, and how to apply the concepts in their elementary classrooms. The training is part of “Igniting the American Spirit,” a project of Junior Achievement.
Teachers were exposed to the correlation between income and personal financial literacy; money and banking, including monetary policy and the Federal Reserve Bank; and financial tradeoffs and opportunity cost. Breakout sessions included master teacher presentations for grades K-2 and 3-5, as well as information on JA programming and working with business volunteers.
The training was provided at no cost to teachers from schools in JA’s Ignite project. They received breakfast, lunch, 1/2 continuing education credit and a teacher stipend. Middle and high school teachers in the Ignite project have the opportunity to attend a similar training on May 7th; see www.ccee.net for details.
One teacher commented, “I have been looking for training like this for YEARS – both personally and professionally… Great mix of presenters – economist, educator, JA representation.”
Tony Best, President & CEO of SM Energy Company and Junior Achievement board member, says it best: “Ethics is doing the right thing, no matter what.” He recently inspired a marketing class at Grandview High School in Aurora to do exactly that, and it caught on.
Tony volunteered his time one afternoon as part of Junior Achievement’s Capitalism with a Conscience program, which brings senior-level executives into high school classrooms to inspire students to make ethical decisions. He challenged the students to consider different points of view involved in an ethical dilemma: a company that was trying to “go green” by selling organic cotton t-shirts, but would have to charge retailers and thus consumers more for the product.
After an ethical self-assessment and small group discussion, Tony engaged students in a trivia challenge, asking questions like, “What is capitalism built on?” (Answer: trust.) Then, it was time for students to ask the questions. They were filled with inquisitive thoughts, such as “What is the toughest ethical situation you have encountered?” (Answer: doing business in other countries.)
Overall, Tony enjoyed his time with the students at Grandview, stating that “this renews my confidence in the young generation!” which he shared with the class. It is wonderful volunteers like Tony Best that bring important topics, like ethics, top-of-mind to young people.
As part of the Junior Achievement program, students from the Career Development class at Hinkley High School recently participated in mock interviews to help them prepare for future job and college interviews.
The interviews were coordinated by Leo DeGreef, a Lockheed Martin Employee and Junior Achievement volunteer. DeGreef brought in colleagues from Lockheed Martin to interview the students.
According to Career Development Teacher Holly Smith, bringing in someone from the outside who is not a teacher or school employee can give students a reality check. “Sometimes students need to hear from people out there in the real world,” Smith said. “When they saw all those business people come in all dressed up to interview them, they thought, ‘I really need to step up, because I’m showing myself off to these people.’”
Throughout the school year, Junior Achievement has been teaching classes that will give Hinkley students important career skills, such as how to dress for an interview, goal-setting, teamwork and workforce values. All of this preparation culminated in the mock interviews.
The Walmart Foundation’s Colorado State Giving Program announces a $75,000 grant for Junior Achievement – Rocky Mountain Inc. (JA) to support its mission of inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. This grant will help provide JA programs and volunteers to 150 high school classrooms throughout the state of Colorado in 2010, at no charge to the schools or students.
“Walmart’s grant will impact 3,500 Colorado students in high school, when they are most at-risk and most in need of inspiration,” said Robin Wise, President & CEO of Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain Inc. “JA believes that by providing programs that teach financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurial skills to Colorado youth, we can address Colorado’s need for an educated, financially literate workforce with 21st Century workplace skills.”
Of students who have the opportunity to participate in JA programs:
• 67% said that JA made school more interesting,
• 72% said that JA made them more aware of career options,
• 66% said that JA connected what they learn in the classroom to real life,
• 73% said that JA helped prepare them for the future,
• 64% said that JA taught them how to manage money,
• 70% said that JA made them realize the importance of staying in school.
“Along with Junior Achievement, Walmart recognizes that it will take a different kind of employee to succeed in a more global and competitive job market,” said Joshua Phair, Walmart senior manager for public affairs and government relations in Colorado. “Colorado’s next generation of employees is in the classroom right now, and they need the real-world application that JA programs provide. That is why Walmart is proud to support Junior Achievement and their outreach to Colorado students”