Wows & Nows February 2025 Articles

Image caption: JA students engage in hands-on learning.

BMO 3-year Donation Helps Junior Achievement Focus on the Future  (Download Article)

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin has received a $345,000 three-year donation from BMO, one of the largest gifts ever received by the non-profit organization. The donation provides $115,000 each year, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, and focuses on financial literacy education and skills-building lessons for underserved youth across Wisconsin. 

“The confidence and support of BMO means so much to the Wisconsin students we serve. This multi-year gift provides stability for our programs that focus on giving students in low-to-moderate income families the tools to achieve their dreams,” said Julie Granger, President of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin. “BMO’s gift also ensures that our JA Titan Business Challenge scholarship competition and the Young Entrepreneur (YE) of the Year events are supported for years to come.”

In addition to the generous corporate donation, BMO also encourages its employees to volunteer their time and teach Wisconsin students about managing money and preparing for a successful career. In the past five years, nearly 100 BMO employees have taught JA learning experiences to more than 4,750 Wisconsin students. 

“Education is the foundation for a strong future, and BMO’s partnership with Junior Achievement is all about giving young people the tools they need to succeed. Over the years, we’ve been able to help bring financial literacy and economic education to hundreds of thousands of students across North America,” said Jon Schumacher, Managing Director, BMO Commercial Bank. 

Interested in becoming a JA supporter or volunteer? Learn more today. 

Image caption: JA student speaking with news reporter.

JA BizTown® Elementary Students Make the News  (Download Article)

"The lessons they learn here they are going to carry with them their whole lives,” said Junior Achievement of Wisconsin president, Julie Granger, of the 5th graders from Milwaukee’s Hamlin Garland School. Granger was interviewed as part of a Fox6 Cents feature on JA BizTown®, a physical recreation of a Wisconsin community inside Junior Achievement’s metro office in Milwaukee. 

JA BizTown combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to a simulated town. The popular learning experience allows elementary school students to operate banks, manage restaurants, write checks, and vote for mayor. Students are able to connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world.  

JA BizTown is a favorite student field trip and one of JA’s most effective tools to help kids learn the value of a dollar. “Every job matters in BizTown, and  they get to see they have an interdependency – if someone isn’t doing their job, it makes their job more difficult," said Granger. 

See photos and the rest of the interview.  

Image caption: Xochil Malagon, JA Intern and Sophomore at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

Xochil's Story: Translating Connection into Confidence (Download Article)

My name is Xochil Malagon, and I’m a sophomore at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. This year, I’m an intern with Junior Achievement (JA), and I’ve had some amazing experiences helping out at JA BizTown and Finance Park.  

One moment that really stuck with me at BizTown was when I helped a young girl who only spoke Spanish. Her teachers couldn’t help her, so I stepped in to translate and show her what to do. By the end of the day, she nailed her tasks, and I felt so happy knowing I could make her experience better. At Finance Park, I worked with another Spanish-speaking student, helping her be a part of her group and figure out her assignments. Watching her grow more confident and finish everything was so inspiring.

Through these experiences, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve realized how much I enjoy helping others and that I’m really good at connecting with kids. I’ve also grown more confident in my Spanish skills and realize that being bilingual is such a valuable strength. I’ve discovered that I can make a difference just by being patient, supportive, and willing to step in when someone needs help. 

Being part of JA has taught me so much about myself and others. I’ve learned how strong and determined students can be when they have someone cheering them on. JA isn’t just about learning careers or money—it’s about helping students see what they’re capable of. I’m so glad I get to be a part of it. 

The Proof is in the Pudding: Evaluating Success  (Download Article)

Last year, 123,249 Wisconsin students received JA programs, and in high school, more Wisconsin students received JA programs than ever before. But when it comes to program impact, how do we know if our programs are hitting the mark? The answer can be found in the way educators and students work together with JA staff to collect and evaluate program data. This cooperation is the best way to shine a light on best practices and lessons learned. 

How We Do It 

Several times a year, JA students are given pre and post-tests to measure competency and attitudinal changes across the subject areas of financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and college and career readiness. Volunteers and teachers are asked to evaluate curricula and efficacy through on-line surveys and direct contact with local staff. It’s the best way to assess the effectiveness of our educational initiatives. 

Why We Do It 

It supports our mission - to inspire and prepare young people to succeed. We need to demonstrate quantitative impact to our constituents. Program feedback from students, teachers and volunteers is evaluated regularly and shared with staff in order to adjust and improve programming and remain responsive to the needs of students, teachers and volunteers.  

How You Can Help 

If you’re an educator, you can help us by making sure to fill out your pre- and post-tests. It’s easy!  

When you do, you help us to continue to deliver excellence in educational programming. Our funders require it, and we all benefit from knowing our lessons are effective.  

Program Spotlight: JA Career Speakers Series®  (Download Article)

JA learning experiences go beyond the classroom to inspire future entrepreneurs, foster financial literacy and provide a foundation for career success. In JA Career Speaker Series®, a volunteer guest speaker visits the classroom (or presents virtually) and shares information about their career, work, and education experience. Learn more about what makes JA’s Career Speaker Series special. 

JA Career Speaker Series is part of the JA Work and Career Readiness Pathway and can be placed in grades K-12. The learning experience is available in classroom based, recorded video, or after-school/out-of-school Implementation. Activities and implementation design vary based on grade level. The speaker may bring props, work samples, or other visuals to help engage students. 

When students are invited to engage with community members sharing real-world experience, it results in an enriched learning experience that helps students make the connection between what they learn in school and the world outside the classroom.  

Learn more about JA Career Speakers Series® 

Image caption: Chris Casey, JA Board President for the Portage & Wood Counties Area presents awards to JA Titan winners from Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School.

Springtime is Titan Time!  (Download Article)

Growing up on Chicago's South Side, O'Neal Sims could never have imagined the journey Junior Achievement (JA) would set in motion for him. Sims, a first-generation college student, credits JA with broadening his horizons and helping him see beyond the limitations of his immediate environment.

Throughout his sophomore through senior years at Englewood High School, JA was instrumental in preparing Sims and his peers for academic competitions. One of his proudest moments was when his team, often considered underdogs, placed second in the district—a feat akin to winning the Super Bowl, as Sims recalls. The excitement and pride of that victory remain a cornerstone of his JA experience.

But JA's impact didn't end there. Sims received the Cornell Henry Crown Foundation Scholarship, a $20,000 award that supported him through Purdue University. This opportunity, he says, was transformative, providing him with the resources and confidence to excel.

Today, Sims serves as Director of Quality for Snap-on Tools' Tools Division, overseeing operations at four manufacturing plants and managing a portfolio of over 85,000 products distributed in more than 130 countries. His career is a testament to the doors that JA opened for him.

Now based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Sims is eager to give back. He sees JA's programs, such as the JA Career Center, as invaluable tools for exposing young people to career possibilities they might never have considered. "JA shows kids they can be CEOs, managers, or innovators—it's all about expanding their world and potential," he says.

O'Neal Sims exemplifies how JA inspires and equips young people for success, and his story
underscores the enduring power of community investment in future generations.