Page 16 - The Edge - Fall 2019
P. 16

DUCK RACE DELIVERS                                     volunteers and a staff of 32, utilizing classrooms in
            CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14                                 partner schools.
                                                                     “Students are taught how to open a bank account, how
                                                                   to deposit and withdraw from a bank account, how to
            students to the essential elements of a practical business  run their own business, and what taxes are, among other
            plan and then challenges them to start an entrepreneurial  things,” Mehta said.
            venture  while still in high  school. Students learn     Junior Achievement’s working relationship with
            about advertising, competitive advantages, financing,  AASBO began this year, and Mehta said he looks forward
            marketing, and product development. The program is  to more ways of partnering with school business officials
            composed of seven sessions, each 45 minutes in length,  moving forward. Mehta said he has never attended an
            and is recommended for students in grades nine through  AASBO meetings, but suggested that’s about to change.
            12.                                                    “We plan on getting more involved,” he said. “It’s going
              AASBO President Nate Bowler explained why he chose  to be very exciting.”
            Junior Achievement, which is considered the world’s      At the check presentation in September, Mehta
            largest organization dedicated to educating students in  learned that several AASBO members have taught
            grades K-12 about entrepreneurship, work readiness,  Junior Achievement curriculum, highlighting the
            financial literacy and preparing them to succeed in a  close relationship between AASBO and Junior
            global economy.                                        Achievement.
              “I selected Junior Achievement because of the many     The AASBO contribution will help sponsor low-income
            innovative things that they are doing with students,”  students who otherwise would not be able to participate,
            Bowler said. “They have a real hands-on and practical  even though Junior Achievement fees are relatively small,
            approach to showing kids how business and jobs work  Mehta said.
            in the real world. There have been so many people in the   Junior Achievement’s website provides some eye-
            school business world that have been impacted by their  opening national statistics its programs are so important.
            programs, and the partnership with AASBO and Junior  Namely:
            Achievement just made sense.”
              When  Eddie  Mehta,  Development and  Marketing        20% of U.S. students will not complete high school
            Coordinator for Junior Achievement of Arizona, learned     on time and earn a diploma.
            of the AASBO award he expressed his appreciation in an   49% of U.S. employers  recognize  that  talent
            email to Bowler and AASBO Executive Director Brian         shortages impact their ability to serve clients and
            Mee.                                                       customers.
              “On behalf of everyone at JA, thank you so much for    36% of Americans say they have at some point in
            your support of our organization and for taking the time   their lives felt their financial situation was out of
            to listen to me talk about what we are doing here,” Mehta   control.
            said. “We are blown away by the support that the Arizona   91% of millennials wish they had greater access to
            Association of School Business Officials provided us. We   entrepreneurial education programs.
            would love to work more closely with your organization
            and its members more in the future, and I am looking     On its website, Junior Achievement says their
            forward to working with you on how we can accomplish  volunteer-delivered programs show students all of the
            that! Again, thank you so much!”                       possibilities that are before them: “They realize they can
              In an interview, Mehta said Junior Achievement  choose different paths. College? A specific trade? Start
            serves 85,000 Arizona kids with the help of some 8,000  their own business?”



               “On behalf of everyone at JA, thank you so much for your support of our organization and for taking
               the time to listen to me talk about what we are doing here. We are blown away by the support that

              the Arizona Association of School Business Offi    cials provided us. We would love to work more closely
              with your organization and its members more in the future, and I am looking forward to working with

                                 you on how we can accomplish that! Again, thank you so much!”
                                    — Eddie Mehta, Development and Marketing Coordinator for Junior Achievement of Arizona







            16                                                                                    THE EDGE  |  FALL 2019
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