Dear Friends,
Running a company that provides technology to the K-12 education marketplace, while continuing to see little improvement with Tennessee’s test scores, when compared nationally, has been a frustrating experience for me over the course of my career. For years, my only true method of making an impact was by also serving my company’s interests in selling solutions I believe in to schools and by donating to school golf tournaments, sports banners, and other non-education impacting fund raisers.
A couple of years ago, my company provided technology systems for the new Junior Achievement BizTown facility in Anderson County at a significant discount after learning more about the program and how it positively impacts the future of every student that goes through the program. Upon its completion and having the opportunity to see first hand exactly how Junior Achievement delivers impact to every child, I quickly became an active investor in the concept and now serve on the executive board as the vice chair.
I have a desire to spread the word and excitement with the goal of finding people and/or companies that are passionate, like me, about making sure the children in our area can be directly impacted with better tools to give them the best chance for success.
The global economy is rapidly catching up and in some cases taking over the US, which only compounds the problems children face growing up in the current economic environment. We need our children to be prepared to compete in both a global economy but I fear they may also need to know how to succeed in down economic times.
JA educates children by creating real world scenarios in its newly constructed, state-of-the-art facility called BizTown, which is located off I-75 beside Anderson County High School. JA is hands-down the best program I have seen that emulates important real life experiences, and below is a small list of skills taught to our local children:
- Assuming risk and the level of initiative involved with entrepreneurialism
- Creating and maintaining budgets
- Securing financing and maintaining bank accounts
- Concepts associated with human resources
- Choices on whether or not to spend money on items such as car insurance and health insurance, as an example
- How to interact with co-workers and work as a team
- How to tackle unforeseen circumstances such as having a medical emergency that impacts one’s ability to work and/or make ends meet
There are many layers to the JA program but the curriculum begins at the kindergarten level all the way through 12th grade. Last year I volunteered and taught 4th graders at Rocky Hill Elementary in Knoxville. What an amazing, fulfilling experience and the kids were so appreciative to have someone other than their teacher doing lessons for a change.
In 5th grade, children go to BizTown, which involves 18 in class lessons prior to the students heading to the JA facility to run a city for a day. Studies have proven this age to be a pivotal time for children to gain insight as to their purpose in life. JA provides foundational steps at the right age helping our children begin to understand what parents face, which leads to understanding the sense of responsibility every adult must have to have a successful business and personal life.
Obviously, money is important but so is time. One of the greatest gifts that can be given is the knowledge that one can impart on someone else. JA is always actively seeking successful business people to spend time in the program, which makes BizTown even more tangible and allows for children hear testimonial to the reality of the world in which we live.
Understanding that you are, like me, bombarded almost on a daily basis with charitable scenarios, I ask that you carefully weigh this program against your current contribution budget and consider this for more than a one-time response but rather as a long term commitment to provide the best tools for success to the 16 counties that participate in our local JA.
The following link http://easttennessee.ja.org/ takes you to the website for JA of East TN, which has numerous ways (golf tournament, clay shooting, bowl-a-thons, etc.) to participate in an enjoyable event AND benefit what I truly believe is the perfect combination of a fantastic program, the appropriate leadership, and the world’s premier JA BizTown facility right in our back yard.
DO YOU LIKE PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA?
YOU CAN HELP JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF EAST TN BY ORDERING ONLINE USING THE FOLLOWING PROMO CODES:
and enter Promo Code T2032L or T2094L
Thank you for the willingness to consider the available options, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
NOTE: BE SURE TO MARK IN THE "COMMENTS"COLUMN YOUR WILLINGESS TO PARTICIPATE AS A VOLUNTEER OR SPECIFIC REQUESTS REGARDING YOUR DONATION.
Sincerely,
Tom Gallaher, President
GALLAHER & ASSOCIATES, INC.
3351 Regal Drive, Alcoa, TN 37701
Voice: 865.970.2471 ext. 117
Cell: 865.755.6709
Fax: 865.970.7889