Dear Friends of Junior Achievement:
We are pleased to present the 2018-19 Junior Achievement USA Annual Report. The theme of this year’s Annual Report is Inspiring Tomorrows.
This theme focuses on the fact that Junior Achievement (JA) changes lives. This is accomplished by connecting young people with caring and engaged volunteers from the community who serve as mentors and role models. These volunteers help provide inspiration by sharing their experiences while delivering JA’s proven programs that promote critical life skills, such as managing money, making the connection between education and career, and learning what it takes to start a business.
This was an especially eventful year for JA given that we turned 100. Since our start in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1919, JA has remained an innovative and impactful organization. The JA Centennial was recognized in a variety of ways during the past year. In March, JA leadership and special guests marked the occasion by ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. In May, an award-nominated documentary about JA’s history made its debut on PBS stations across the country. Throughout the year, a Centennial-focused public awareness campaign was seen by nearly 200 million people. These were in addition to numerous reunions, galas and events on the local, national and global levels. A full overview of JA Centennial celebrations is included in this year’s Annual Report.
While JA celebrated its past, we kept our eyes firmly fixed on the future. JA made tremendous progress during the past year. This included the establishment of 3DE, a new initiative using a school-within-a-school model that is demonstrably transformational for students, schools and communities. We began the rollout of JA Pathways, an innovative approach for ensuring student success from their first day of school until their last…and beyond. We also continued making great inroads with innovative approaches to helping kids make the connection between what they learn in school and the world outside of the classroom.
In closing, thank you for your support of Junior Achievement and the nearly 4.8 million young people we serve. We hope that after you read this annual report, you will agree that JA is truly Inspiring Tomorrows.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jack E. Kosakowski, President and CEO,
Junior Achievement USA
Mr. Richard A. Woods - Chairman,
Sr Vice
President-Corporate Affairs (Retired)
Capital One
We are the nation's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. Junior Achievement's programs-in the core content areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy-ignite the spark in young people to experience and realize the opportunities and realities of work and life in the 21st century.
Junior Achievement was founded in 1919 by Theodore Vail, president of American Telephone & Telegraph; Horace Moses, president of Strathmore Paper Co.; and Senator Murray Crane of Massachusetts. Its first program, JA Company Program®, was offered to high school students on an after-school basis. In 1975, the organization entered the classroom with the introduction of Project Business for the middle grades. Since then, Junior Achievement has expanded its activities and broadened its scope to include in-school and after-school students.
To inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.
Junior Achievement's unique delivery system provides the training, materials, and support necessary to bolster the chances for student success. The impact is measurable, too. Students who participate in Junior Achievement programs demonstrate a significant understanding of economics and business concepts. We invite you to take a closer look at our programs!
The best collaborations start with a strong foundation, and the relationships between Junior Achievement and its partners are no exception. The profiles below highlight some of our great efforts with donors and what they are helping us achieve!
JA USA was honored to collaborate with JPMorgan Chase during the 2018-2019 school year and appreciated their support of JA programming, as well as support of JA USA’s effort redesigning the volunteer engagement program.
Due to changes in classroom technology, educator roles, and volunteer needs, it was time to review the traditional volunteer role and a look at what future possibilities may be for JA program delivery. With support from JPMorgan Chase, JA USA began the task of identifying new ways for volunteers to be engaged in JA programs. The goal was to build upon strengths and begin to incorporate and evaluate delivery models that JA had not yet capitalized upon. By reengineering the volunteer engagement program delivery methods, JA USA aims to increase efficiency and effectiveness for JA, volunteers, educators and corporate partners.
In addition to the reengineering of the volunteer engagement model, JPMorgan Chase also supported JA programming and employee volunteerism in JA Finance Park and JA Personal Finance across the United States, thus bridging the gap between education and the business world. JPMorgan Chase’s engagement helped students practice actionable, relevant budgeting skills, making the correlation between a sound financial education and future opportunities by inspiring students to believe in themselves and make a difference in the world.
During the 2018-2019 fiscal year, Citizens Bank’s partnership with JA USA provided significant life skills training to many students, increasing their work-readiness as they prepare to enter the workforce. With a focus on JA Career Success and some additional JA Area-specific programming, Citizens Bank impacted 1,387 students and engaged 103 Citizens Bank volunteers. These classes occurred in schools with LMI percentages greater than 51percent, resulting in a focused impact on students in higher at-risk areas.
Citizens Bank also funded the JA Teens and Personal Finance Survey in support of Financial Literacy Month in April of 2019. This resulted in substantial online engagement including appearances in Marketwatch, Financial Advisor, and Think Advisor. Citizens Bank will fund the 2020 JA Teens and Personal Finance Survey as well.
Additionally, Junior Achievement is privileged to announce that in the 2019-2020 program year, Citizens Bank will be continuing their support to 24 cities across the country. They are also providing catalytic funding for the launch of the JA Innovation Initiative which will result in the development of a more formal enterprise-wide innovation strategy and will include a joint JA USA/JA Area innovation summit to provide ongoing shared learnings across the JA Network. We are so thankful for all of the opportunities Citizens Bank is providing to JA areas and the organization as a whole!
The U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award is a presidential recognition program created in 2003 by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation for individuals of all ages who contribute a significant amount of time to volunteer service. In 2006, Junior Achievement became an official certifying organization for this award because of its national reach and standing. This status allows JA to bestow this honor to corporations with a U.S. presence that provide volunteers to teach JA programs anywhere in the world.
Recipients are listed by category, and then alphabetically.
Junior Achievement helps students to develop successful financial management habits, empowers them to explore the potential of becoming an aspiring entrepreneur, and provides them with the skills necessary to succeed in a global workforce. See firsthand how JA inspires success with these impactful stories from around the U.S.
Last year, Junior Achievement students Melanie Zhou and Mia Hayden faced immense tragedy. They lost one of their classmates to suicide. A few weeks later, they lost their principal to cancer. It was devastating to their school’s community, and Melanie and Mia noticed a need for stronger mental health support for students in their school. The school’s funds were limited, though.
Using the skills they gained from JA classroom programs and JA Business Week, Melanie and Mia started a nonprofit business called Oasis. They would build physical mental health spaces in high schools across Colorado that offer students a haven to connect with their communities and feel empowered to ask for help without stigma or shame. Additionally, they would sell t-shirts and other merchandise, with half of the proceeds funding mental health resources in schools and half of the proceeds sustaining the business.
Melanie and Mia spent a year putting their passion to work, and in September 2019, they won the grand prize at the Denver Startup Week Pitch Competition, a package of cash, product, and resources valued at $100,000. Their participation in Denver Startup week was made possible by JA.
“None of this would have been possible without Junior Achievement. As JA students, we’ve learned how to advocate for our beliefs, network, and build a business from scratch,” Melanie and Mia say. “Most importantly, JA helped us turn tragedy into motivation to help others.”
We know from data that students, like Melanie and Mia, who participate in JA programs reveal differences in their optimism about achieving future success. One reason is that they know they have the support of JA volunteers behind them, and they’ve developed the confidence and smarts to succeed.
We believe that every child can succeed in the business of life with the right tools. It is up to us, as JA volunteers, JA donors, and JA advocates, to provide them those tools.
Michael Crome recalls being a high school student in the Columbus, Ohio, area when he was first introduced to Junior Achievement (JA). He remembers the JA volunteer sharing his experience as a professional in the business world, ; specifically, the accounting and finance realm. Learning from his volunteer’s expertise, Crome found himself intrigued by the field and was determined to learn more about a career in the accounting/finance industry. He would later major in Accounting as an undergraduate student at the University of Akron and then received his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Virginia.
As a successful consultant and operational and corporate finance businessman, Crome found himself wanting to pay it forward for what Junior Achievement exposed him to as a student. Not only is Crome an active volunteer with Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, but he has also served on its Board of Directors for more than ten years, including a stint as Chairman for two of those years.
Despite all of his support for JA, Crome felt he could do more. Just as his JA volunteer paired his passion for accounting/finance with giving back to the community, Crome was determined to use his passion for running in order to bring awareness to the organization he had been passionate about for years. In 2019, Crome signed up for the World Marathon Challenge, an event that includes a total of seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, all to benefit Junior Achievement.
Though the Challenge pushed Crome to the limit, he recalls the experience fondly, thinking back to the number of people who “showed up” and donated to JA, sent words of encouragement, or who asked him about JA and why the organization was so impactful. Through the exhausting but rewarding event, Crome raised more than $25,000, in which 100 percent of the funds went to Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada.
In addition to this fundraising effort, Crome’s marathon adventure led him to educate countless individuals about Junior Achievement and the mission behind the organization. When asked what the future holds for him concerning his marathon experience and JA, Crome said, “Whatever the future holds, I am certain that I will continue to be an advocate for Junior Achievement and our mission, whatever roads I take (pun intended).”
Trinh Nguyen’s experience with Junior Achievement (JA) began when she was just an elementary school student. She recalls the JA volunteers becoming mentors to her and her classmates as they engaged in discussions and activities in small groups. Later, in high school, the mentor-led conversations with Nguyen and her classmates transitioned to focus on future plans. Through these interactions, Nguyen received underlying messages: “work hard and do not give up” and “you get what you put in.” Growing up with a lower economic status, she knew she would have to work hard to afford her aspiration of attending college. Luckily some of her stress was alleviated with the help of a JA scholarship that assisted her with the cost of her higher education. Today, as a JA volunteer along with her colleagues at AIG, Nguyen is paying it forward like the mentors she had in school and enforcing the message that hard work pays off.
Junior Achievement (JA) marked its centennial in 2019. JA was founded in 1919 in Springfield, Massachusetts by Horace Moses, founder of the Strathmore Paper Company, along with Theodore Vail, President of AT&T and Massachusetts Senator Murray Crane. JA was started in response to the mass migration of Americans from farm communities into the booming cities. The mission of JA was to help young people gain the skills they would need to become successful adults in their new communities.
JA marked its centennial in a variety of ways during 2019. Activities included the launching of an awareness campaign around the theme Junior Achievement: 100 Years. 100% Ready. The campaign generated nearly than 200 million impressions with PSAs that ran more than 25,000 times on nearly 600 television stations across the United States. With the support of Meredith Corporation, ads for the centennial also appeared in Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living and Parents magazines.
In March of 2019, JA recognized its centennial by ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The event was part of JA’s volunteer summit, where JA recognized those companies and organizations that contributed substantial volunteer support to Junior Achievement’s mission with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. In addition, JA recognized six outstanding individuals who have gone above and beyond advancing the organization’s mission with the JA Centennial Leadership Award.
Junior Achievement could not prepare young people to succeed in a global economy or empower young people to own their economic success without our donors. Every single dollar makes a difference and all donations to JA USA help to continually evolve JA's enriching programs at a national and local level. The corporations, foundations, and individuals listed below have provided Junior Achievement with funding in 2017-2018.
* Recognition for multi-year pledge
We are proud to honor our Lifetime Supporters who have ensured that Junior Achievement will be able to educate and inspire students for years to come.
Established in 2000, the Free Enterprise Society recognizes individuals from around the world who demonstrate outstanding support in helping Junior Achievement inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Recognition is provided to individuals and families who have made gifts of $10,000 or more between July 1 and June 30 each year to any JA affiliate. Charter members and individuals who make gifts of $1 million or more to Junior Achievement over their lifetime, "Legacy Members," are entitled to permanent membership in the Free Enterprise Society. Select a level below to view its members:
Junior Achievement established the Junior Achievement Heritage Society to recognize and honor ardent supporters who include the organization in their estate planning. Founding members are those who notified Junior Achievement of their inclusion of JA in their estate planning by June 30, 2006. Select tab below to view its members:
Junior Achievement USA consistently receives high grades for accountability and transparency.
View JA USA's Audited Financial Statements. To view a full version, visit ja.org.
Contributions | $14,850,316 |
Grants | $242,233 |
In-Kind Contributions | $890,014 |
Materials Sales | $13,370,823 |
Area License Fees | $4,915,286 |
Investment Return | $624,662 |
Other Income | $378,073 |
Field Services | $14,008,949 |
Communication & Marketing | $1,171,907 |
Research & Development | $6,072,306 |
Human Resources | $882,415 |
Management & General | $4,035,863 |
Fundraising | $2,248,494 |
*3DE National, LLC was a newly formed single member LLC of Junior Achievement USA effective January 1st, 2019. Per Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, single member LLC’s must be consolidated for financial statement purposes. Thus, the face of the financial statements reflects both Junior Achievement USA and 3DE National, LLC financial activity for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019. Please see pages 28-31 of the 2019 Audited Financial Statements for a breakout of the financial activity for each entity.
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