Flashback to the 2000s

Author: JA Lincoln
Community Involvement
Published: Monday, 02 Aug 2021

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Image caption: 50 Years of JA Lincoln

2021 is a major milestone for Junior Achievement of Lincoln, and we’re celebrating all year long! This is our golden anniversary, marking 50 years of serving the students of Lincoln and beyond.

Over the next several months, we are looking back to see where we've come from since 1971. Each month, we're focusing on a different decade to showcase stories of the people and organizations that have shaped Junior Achievement of Lincoln over the years.

This month, we’re focusing on the 2000s! For a full rundown of what JA of Lincoln looked like at the start of the new millennium (and the decades preceding), visit https://lincoln.ja.org/about-ja/opportunity/celebrating-50-years-of-junior-achievement-of-lincoln.

Growth marked JA of Lincoln’s transition into the 2000s, with 16 elementary schools becoming “All-JA Schools” (a distinction achieved when the JA curriculum is in every single classroom) in 2001. At the same time, the Foundation for Junior Achievement was being created to help ensure JA’s financial future. Now ranked in the top 1% of domestic JA cities, JA of Lincoln continued to receive national attention, receiving a second Peak Performer among 148 JA cities by the JA Worldwide organization and several recognitions from the National JA Board of Directors. Nick Cusick became the second Nebraskan to win the prestigious Gold Leadership Award.

In 2006, the JA of Lincoln office moved from Goodyear property to office space at Southeast Community College, ending 39 years of rent-free space donated by Goodyear. Two years later, JA of Lincoln decided to focus its efforts and resources on the ever-expanding K-12 programming, and the JA Company Evening program was retired. The end of the decade saw major change for the organization with Ken Carlson retiring as JA president after 32 years in 2009, and Tera Norris becoming president of JA of Lincoln in 2010.

JA of Lincoln’s success is marked by individuals who support our organization for decades, and U.S. Bank Vice President Beth Morgan is one of those wonderful people. An alumni of JA programs in her high school days, Beth served on the JA of Lincoln Board of Directors, including two years as President. She says, “When I was asked to join the Lincoln board, my pleasant memories of the high school experience influenced my decision to be a part of JA in Lincoln. I think I was the last president to serve two years. The other board members were so active, creative and hard working, that I didn't feel like a leader, more like a coordinator.” Beth has also served as a classroom volunteer at levels ranging from kindergarten to high school. You can read Beth’s whole story at https://lincoln.ja.org/news/blog/celebrating-50-years-of-junior-achievement-of-lincoln-beth-s-story.

Del Smith is another individual who has been a valued supporter of JA of Lincoln for decades, and has passed that legacy of support on to his son Brandon Smith, now also a JA friend and frequent classroom volunteer. Del has wonderful insights on the growth of JA over the years and the establishment and growth of the JA of Lincoln Foundation, which you can read at https://lincoln.ja.org/news/blog/celebrating-50-years-of-junior-achievement-of-lincoln-del-s-story. Del began his involvement as a classroom volunteer in 1995 and continued for more than 15 years, during which time he was awarded the JA Bronze Leadership Award. He then received the JA Silver Leadership Award for his role in establishing and nurturing the JA Foundation. Under his leadership, the endowment has grown from an initial $60,000 gift in 2006 to reaching the goal of $1,000,000 in 2020!

Since 2010, Del has managed the endowment alongside his son Brandon Smith, Financial Advisor Senior Vice President of Raymond James. Del says, “I am most proud of my son Brandon who has done an outstanding job managing Foundation investment assets since 2012. His additional JA work in the classroom and help with the JA Stock Market Challenge, JA fundraising events, JA Bowl-A-Thon, and the JA Dinner & Auction really makes me feel comfortable with the strong commitment from younger leaders who care about the JA message. The JA Lincoln Smith legacy continues…. For that I am extremely excited and grateful to have planted the JA seed in Brandon.” In addition to his outstanding work shepherding the JA Foundation, Brandon has also been a classroom volunteer for 15 years. You can read his story at https://lincoln.ja.org/news/blog/celebrating-50-years-of-junior-achievement-of-lincoln-brandon-s-story.

These three individuals are just a few of so many people and organizations that have been integral to JA of Lincoln growing and thriving for the last 50 years, and we can’t wait to introduce you to more of them over the coming months. Here’s to the next 50 years of building a better future, one classroom at a time!