Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain (JA) will be inspiring high school students with the JA Launch Lesson, sponsored by EY. The initiative, designed to coincide with National Entrepreneurship Month, puts entrepreneurs into classrooms throughout our community to share what inspired them to start their own businesses and to open students’ eyes to the opportunities provided by entrepreneurship.

“JA is known for bringing entrepreneurship education into the classroom,” said JA-Rocky Mountain President Robin Wise. “What makes this initiative different is that it is an intensive experience designed specifically for today’s up-and-coming business owner who might not otherwise have time in his or her busy day to engage as a mentor to young people.”

Research conducted by JA shows that while young people look up to entrepreneurs such as Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Honest Beauty’s Jessica Alba, or music impresario Taylor Swift, today’s teens may be more risk averse than previous generations and are seeking out mentors and role models to help them gain a better understanding of how to plan for the future. JA believes it is important to provide young people with an opportunity to engage with entrepreneurs to help them better understand the benefits and challenges of starting a business.

The JA Launch Lesson highlights current JA programs by bringing an inspiring entrepreneur into the classroom for one hour during the week to share his or her experience with students. The program is designed to be simple for the entrepreneurs to implement, but impactful for the teens participating. For example, during the JA experience, students can learn how to create a business plan or successfully interview for a job.

Entrepreneurs interested in participating can contact Leah Caputo at LCaputo@JAColorado.org. To learn more about the JA Launch Lesson, view the lesson guide.