Published February 2003

Through JA, kids get
a real-world look
at economics

When was the last time you saw elementary, middle school and high school students excited about the business of business?

As a Snohomish County board member of Junior Achievement, I see that excitement when students and their teachers visit our meetings; JA volunteers see that excitement as they teach classroom courses; others see that excitement in their children after a school day that included a JA class.

Junior Achievement brings business people into classrooms to provide students with real-world experiences about America’s free-enterprise system, striving “to educate and inspire young people to value free enterprise, business and economics to improve the quality of their lives.”

Despite today’s justifiable ridicule, criticism and anger directed at those who betrayed the public’s trust and respect, America’s business community as a whole still inspires admiration, provides civic leadership and contributes to citizens’ quality of life. The importance of helping students understand our world of business is the reason so many business people are involved in Junior Achievement, on the board, in classrooms, in public forums.

It’s also the reason that board members Tom Braaten, senior vice president for commercial banking with Bank of America, and Rick Gardner, director of business operations for airplane programs with the Boeing Co., are co-chairing this year’s JA Partners Campaign. Even in a difficult economy the business community continues to support Junior Achievement with new pledges, new contributors and new volunteers.

Everyone likes being associated with a winner. Each year there are so many schools, teachers and students requesting JA classroom programs that the demand can’t be met. Get involved. Share in the excitement of helping students prepare for their roles in our free-enterprise society. As JA people like to say, “Let their success be your inspiration.”

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