Junior Achievement of Alaska Celebrates 50 Years: Educating young Alaskans in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.

• Author: Teo, Flora

2023 is particularly special for Junior Achievement (JA) of Alaska as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary. Fifty years ago in 1973. C. H. Rosenthal. Joseph P. Wiley, Dave Stein, and Les Pace established an organization to teach financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship to Alaska's youth, helping them acquire the skills they needed to succeed in a changing economy.

The initial endeavor was called "Stop 'Em from Droppin," a partnership with the then-Anchorage Borough School District, business community, and S.A.V.E. aimed at allowing students, "through ownership of their own companies, to develop a realization of honesty and dependability in the world of work" and to "instill in young people a sense of responsibility for the successful functioning of American business and government during their lifetime."

JA's mission is even more relevant today. By activating corporate and community volunteers to deliver JA programs to our youth, we broaden horizons and inspire students to achieve their goals. During school closures in 2021/2022, more than 150 volunteers delivered programs both in person and virtually to K-12 youth and positively impacted the lives of more than 10,000 students. This was possible because of the strength of JA's traditional programming and our resolve to bring to Alaska innovative programming like JA Finance Park Virtual, JA Inspire Virtual, and the JA Biz Camp.

Our students tell us these experiences have changed the trajectory of their lives.

* Financial Literacy: Nearly 2,000 Alaskan students experience JA Alaska's Economics for Success and Finance Park Virtual programs annually, learning about saving, investing, budgeting, taxes, credit scores, and investing.

* Work Readiness: More than 4,000 students were prepared for the world of work by participating in JA Inspire Virtual with companies such as AT&T, Wells Fargo, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, ConocoPhillips Alaska, Saltchuk, First National Bank Alaska, Northrim Bank, Lynden, and more.

* Entrepreneurship: At the JA Biz Camp, students in grades K-8 spent a week over the summer creating business plans and pitching them to local "sharks," or potential business investors. Next year, JA of Alaska would like to have enough support to send a group of students to the Junior Achievement National Student Leadership Summit...