Thank you for supporting Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest with a donation to JA bigBowl. Proceeds from this event will help us provide 130,000 local students with more than 1 million hours of innovative financial literacy, college and career readiness, and entrepreneurship education during the 2011-2012 school year. 

Our lessons inspire and prepare students to succeed in the real world by teaching them the value of money, how to balance a checkbook, and how to prepare for the future. A gift of only $25 will sponsor a student; $500 will provide JA programming to an entire classroom.

Our programs are life changing. For example, meet Max Goldman, a 14 year old student who has had Tourette's Syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by physical and vocal tics. 

Max was introduced to Junior Achievement in grade school, which sparked his interest in entrepreneurship. In an effort to learn more about business and free enterprise, Max signed up to attend JA BizTown Summer Camp. Max was elected mayor of BizTown two years in a row by his peers, an honor that gave him confidence. 

In 2011, Max was selected as one of the JA students to introduce a Hall of Fame laureate at our annual fall celebration event. His confidence and personality in introducing Mort Mortenson of Mortenson Construction won over the business leader. Max was treated to a personal tour of the company by Mort himself, and the two have continued to stay in touch.

Max's experiences with JA have inspired him to become a successful business entrepreneur. We have no doubt that Max will have a positive impact on our community in the years to come.