Press Releases

Back-to-School Survey: 39% of Teens Feel They Are Behind Educationally Due to the Pandemic, Many Believe Permanently

Monday, 23 Aug 2021

(Kansas City, KS) – A new survey of teens conducted for Junior Achievement by the research firm ENGINE Insights shows that nearly 2-in-5 (39%) feel that they are behind educationally because of the pandemic. Of those, more than a third (37%) feel they are behind permanently. The survey also found that in addition to attending school in-person and interacting with other students and teachings, many teens (34%) need “emotional support” from teachers, parents, counselors, and other caring adults to help their “mental well-being,” as well as more individual attention from teachers (32%) to help with their learning. The 2021 survey of 1,003 13- to 17-year-olds was conducted by ENGINE Insights from July 8 through 13, 2021....

Wednesday, 21 Jul 2021

Junior Achievement is honored to announce the 2021 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame Laureates from three outstanding area companies. The honorees and their organizations will be recognized at the annual Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame reception on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at the brand-new Junior Achievement Youth Learning Lab located in Kansas City, KS....

Wednesday, 09 Jun 2021

KANSAS CITY, KS (June 10, 2021) – Starting this summer, Kansas City kids will be able to practice “adulting” at JA BizTown presented by CommunityAmerica Credit Union. The opening of Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City’s long anticipated new facility is the culmination of a hands-on initiative that connects local students with mentors who model what it means to have a positive impact on their community. JA BizTown is located within the JAKC Youth Learning Lab presented by the Mallouk Family Foundation and is the next step in bringing innovative, experiential learning to students across the metro area....

Tuesday, 01 Dec 2020

Good for our kids, good for our city. Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City has announced a new hands-on initiative that connects local students with mentors and curriculum to show them what’s personally possible, thus modeling what it means to have a positive impact on our local society. Launching in 2021, the JAKC Youth Learning Lab presented by the Mallouk Family Foundation is the next step in bringing innovative, experiential learning to students in the metro area....

Monday, 20 Apr 2020

Bruce Ianni, Co-founder and CEO of DDSports, and Davyeon Ross, Co-founder and President of DDSports; Christine Kemper, founder of Kemper & Company, LLC, and Sandy Kemper, founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO of C2FO; and Peter Mallouk, President of Creative Planning, have been selected as the 2020 business leaders to be inducted into the Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City Business Hall of Fame. The honorees will be recognized at an annual Luncheon on Friday, November 6 at The Gallery Event Space in Kansas City....

Tuesday, 14 Apr 2020

Pledging to raise money and awareness around improving financial literacy and educational opportunities for young people across Kansas City, the VIRTUAL 4.01K Race for Financial Fitness™ hosted in partnership with Bukaty Companies Financial Services and benefitting Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City will kick off its fourth annual race on Saturday, May 2th and will run through Saturday, May 16th....

Monday, 18 Nov 2019

Students across the Kansas City metro area will thrive as a result of a transformational $1 million gift from CommunityAmerica Credit Union. The partnership is longstanding, with the organization’s first gift made to Junior Achievement in 1997. With this latest gift, CommunityAmerica’s lifetime investment in JA totals $1,285,436. CommunityAmerica’s gift is the largest in JAKC’s 64-year history....

Sunday, 21 Jul 2019

Dr. Michelle Robin, founder of Your Wellness Connection; Kevin Williams, CEO at WISE Power, Inc. and Brittany Williams, Principal at WISE Power, Inc. will be the next business leaders elevated into Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City's Business Hall of Fame. The honorees will be recognized at a luncheon on Friday, Nov. 15 at The Gallery Event Space. In addition to the 2019 honorees, Junior Achievement will also uplift bloom, an online Registered Investment Advisor, for this year's KC Innovator Award....

Friday, 05 Jul 2019

Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City (JAKC) was recently awarded a $15,000 grant from State Farm. The grant will support JAKC's financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship programs for students in grades kindergarten through 12 across the Kansas City Metro. The State Farm grant will support JA programming for approximately 27,500 students during the 2019-2020 academic year....