The path to business ownership does not necessarily begin as an adult, as we witnessed just a couple of weeks ago at Denver Startup Week. Through Junior Achievement, 200 teens gained powerful insight from local business owners and leaders into how to jump start their own business ideas and transform them into reality.

These teens, and many others, are taking ownership of their futures and working on solutions to tomorrow’s challenges. This is one of the reasons why Junior Achievement is so important. We do not know what new challenges or opportunities will come along in 10 or 15 years. We are teaching students to think critically and creatively now so that they are able to build new opportunities for themselves and for society. They will be the history-makers.

High school students are making decisions now that will impact the rest of their lives, whether it is developing their own business idea, choosing to work an afterschool job, selecting where they will apply for college, or saving or spending their earnings. By contributing to JA or volunteering in a JA classroom, you can inspire students to discover new pathways that will benefit them and society for years to come.