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JA Alumni Spotlight - Karina Rodriguez
By Becky Neely
Community Involvement
Junior Achievement recently had an opportunity to interview JA Alumni Karina Rodriguez, who currently lives in Spring, TX, with her husband and two sons. Karina was excited to share her JA story.
Her first experience with JA was at BB Rice Elementary. She remembers waiting anxiously for a JA volunteer to come to her...
Momentum from International Women’s Day Extended by Avanade and JA Partnership
By Jim McCaskill
Community Involvement
Earlier this month, volunteers from South Women’s Network group at Avanade shared inspiring and unique timelines of their careers with more than 150 female students from Alief, Pearland and other local districts. Working with Tiffany Ogunjebi from JA, Avanade’s Lucy Moodley realized the work Avanade was already doing for International Women’s Day could make a continuing impact beyond a single day,...
Advancing Youth Entrepreneurship with LyondellBasell
By Tania Daniel
Entrepreneurship
LyondellBasell, a JA Board Company and one of the largest plastic, chemicals and refining companies in the world, became an integral part of the JA Company Program. Under the leadership of Mr. Michael McMurray, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for LyondellBasell and JA of Southeast Texas Board Member, the JA Company Program has reached new heights in greater Houston, even when...
JA Company Program Startups Win Big at the University of Houston's Think Tank 2021!
By Tania Daniel
Entrepreneurship
The Think Tank 2021 business plan competition hosted by the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business, was a tremendous learning experience for our JA Company Program startups and executive leaders. Even more exciting is that NINE JA Company Program startups made it to the hard-fought, final round of this competition! We are proud to announce that...
Helping Your Child Choose a Career Path
Blog from JA USA
By Hannah Henry
Work Readiness
"What is your future plan?". This is every high schoolers' (and college students') nightmare. At this point in their life, they know what makes them happy, what subjects in school they do well in, and want to have a successful future. A 17 or 18-year-old high school student is expected to have most of their future planned out despite experiencing adult life firsthand. Typically, this is where the...
Women's History Month JA Volunteer Spotlight - Susan Terry
By Becky Neely
Community Involvement
Susan Terry, Administrative Assistant in the Legal Department with Chevron Phillips Chemical in The Woodlands has been a dedicated and enthusiastic JA volunteer for 6 years. Susan first learned about JA when her children were in elementary school. She was introduced to JA again when she joined...
Go! Board Uses Innovative Thinking to Keep Kids Active During Pandemic
By Tania Daniel
Entrepreneurship
JA Company Program student startup business, Go! Board, has experienced tremendous growth since it was founded in 2019 at College Park High School. The company was started by students who had the idea to make a game board that focused on promoting social interaction, family unity, wellness and health. Under the leadership of current CEOs Karla Paulina Gonzalez and Noah Seay, the company is having...
East West Bank and KPMG Take the Lead with Inspiring Eighth Graders at McAuliffe Middle School
By Courtney Azuike
Community Involvement
McAuliffe Middle School in Fort Bend ISD hosted their annual eighth grade Career Day and just like many other campuses they adapted their program to a virtual format. Although this format was new to all involved, the campus and volunteers were committed to making this event a success for every student. During this one-day virtual event, eighth graders participated in two Junior Achievement...
JA Scholarship Recipient on Paying it Forward
By Jim McCaskill
Community Involvement
“Junior Achievement gave me my first scholarship, and that really helped get me started. It was just $500, but it made me realize that scholarships were available. That’s one reason I decided to reach out relatively early in my career, and see if there was a way to help other students right now.” Hans Petersen, now a Tax Services Senior Consultant with Ernst & Young, began an internship with EY...
Celebrating Another Successful JA Company Program Trade Fair with Gulf Island!
By Tania Daniel
Entrepreneurship
The virtual JA Company Program Trade Fair was a huge success in an elevated pitch format, with over 90 students competing for the top awards! We are grateful to our event Presenting Sponsor Gulf Island, and JA Board Member Dr. Richard Heo, for providing this incredible platform to our student leaders! Congratulations to our top three startups - EVO from Elkins High School (1st Place), Xcel from...
