Fall typically is a time of dormancy – trees lose their leaves, days are shorter and we all prepare for winter. In other words, it’s sweater weather!

At JA, however, fall is about starting things up. In September, we hosted the first students of the school year at JA Finance Park, held our first JA in a Day, welcomed the first group of Eagle County students to Denver for JA Destination Success, and launched an exciting partnership with Denver Startup Week and Young Americans Center for Financial Education to introduce students to entrepreneurship.

JA is known for bringing entrepreneurship education into the classroom. What made the Denver Startup Week Youth Pass initiative different is that students were given the opportunity have an authentic Denver Startup Week experience while still in high school – and the results were exhilarating.

Our students took front row seats, asked questions and collected business cards.  One of our outstanding students from Rock Canyon High School was even featured on a 9News segment about young leaders. “You make our daughter feel like she is a business leader and we believe she is now becoming one thanks to your direction and the opportunities you have given her,” wrote Megan and Dan Tran. “We can never thank you enough for educating her, encouraging her and believing in her!!”

We are so fortunate to have Denver Startup Week in our backyard and we are delighted to connect students with entrepreneurs who open students’ eyes to the opportunities provided by entrepreneurship. Our young innovators are anxious to apply what they’ve learned from their JA volunteers to the business world and they show no signs of slowing down!