A History of Junior Achievement of the
Michigan Great Lakes, Inc.
THEN - In 1955, a significant partnership between business and education was formed in Grand Rapids with the advent of Junior Achievement. Business leaders and employees were given the opportunity to share their business experiences with teachers and students, bringing economics to life.
Influential Grand Rapids business people were involved from the beginning. Edward Frey, Sr., founder of Union Bank (now Bank One), founded Junior Achievement of the Grand Rapids Area. L.V. Eberhard, CEO and Chairman of Eberhard Foods, and Marvin Blackport, President of Blackport Packing Company, provided much-needed financial support. The Grand Rapids Jaycees worked with a steering committee composed of 20 volunteers to fund the initial $25,000 budget. Seventeen companies provided the first volunteers and monies.
In that first school year, the two employee staff, Director Leonard Galloway and secretary Mollie Griffin, worked out of a donated office located in the Manger-Rowe Hotel.
From 1956-1979, JA's only activity was the familiar student-run business program, dubbed the Evening Program. In 1956, the initial Evening Program effort attracted 17 companies and about 250 student participants. Interest and support grew as business firms provided money and advisers.
NOW - Each year the local service area has continued to grow. In 1967, Junior Achievement had approximately 1,000 students, 160 volunteers, and a $66,000 budget. Today, under the direction of current president, Bill Coderre, JA has over 1,900 volunteers educating over 53,000 students across 41 counties, and operates with ten full-time and eight part-time employees on a budget of over $1,000,000.
In 1994, the name was changed to Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes, Inc. to reflect expansion. In addition to providing programs to students in the greater Grand Rapids area, JAMGL also has offices in Grand Haven, Traverse City (servicing the Traverse City and Cadillac areas) and Boyne City, where the Northern Service Office is located. The Northern Service Office provides programs to students in northern Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula.
The most important changes in JAMGL's history have been in the program itself. Although the organization was developed around the Evening Program, JA now offers a continuum of economic education through K-12, in-school programming. In fact, 98% of student activity occurs within the curriculum-enhanced courses.
National History
Junior Achievement is a dynamic growing organization that offers high-quality economic education programs to over 2.7 million students annually worldwide. Programs are offered to schools and businesses via 175 area franchise offices, as well as 100 International affiliates.
This is accomplished through Junior Achievement's diversified product line of participative economic education programs for students in all grades: the Traditional Company Program and Economics for high school students; the Middle Grades program and the Economics of Staying in School for junior high school students; and the Elementary School Program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. One could classify Junior Achievement as being a very progressive organization, continually striving to better itself through new ideas and explorations. However, it is also an organization that carries a very rich sense of tradition and history.
Founded in 1919 by Horace Moses, president of the Strathmoor Paper Company, Junior Achievement's aim was to be a link between agriculture, business and the general public. Moses modeled the "learn-by-doing" approach of Junior Achievement after the 4-H Clubs, another organization in which he was heavily involved. It wasn't until 1929 in New York City that the modern day prototype for Junior Achievement was created. By the time World War II ended, Junior Achievement enacted its national expansion plan with programs in 12 different cities. That figure would better than double over the next five years.
While many talented men and women have contributed to the total Junior Achievement effort, two names stand out in recent organizational development. Dick Maxwell, former National President and Junior Achievement Professional Hall of Fame inductee, is the individual most responsible for guiding the organization in the direction of multiple programs.
Under the leadership of President and CEO Karl Flemke, Junior Achievement soared higher and higher as it moved its focus from the Evening Program to a full menu of in-school programs. As Junior Achievement consistently improves its product quality, it is also experiencing tremendous growth in the demand for its products.
Now under the leadership and directions of David Chernow, current President, JA WorldwideŽ is recognized as one the best managed not-for-profit organizations in the country.