Flashback to the 90s

Author: JA Lincoln
Community Involvement
Published: Monday, 12 Jul 2021

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Image caption: JA of Lincoln celebrates 50 years

2021 marks 50 years of Junior Achievement of Lincoln! As part of our year-long golden anniversary celebration, we’re looking back to see just how far we’ve come in the last half-century. 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 kicking it back to the 90s! For the full rundown of what JA of Lincoln looked like in the 90s (and the decades preceding), visit https://lincoln.ja.org/about-ja/opportunity/celebrating-50-years-of-junior-achievement-of-lincoln

The 1990s were a time of major growth for JA of Lincoln as our programs reached more and more of Southeastern Nebraska! This was the decade when JA launched programs in communities and schools outside of Lincoln, including Norris, Waverly and Eagle, and was also the time when former stand-alone franchises in Grand Island and Hastings came under the JA of Lincoln umbrella.

Meanwhile, JA was also growing its impact within Lincoln’s borders. The 90’s brought new pilot programs in Lincoln's middle schools, as well as expansion in Lincoln's Catholic schools. All that growth was recognized by the National JA board of Directors, who awarded JA of Lincoln the Bronze Summit Award for four consecutive years of student growth and fiscal/operational excellence. In 1999, JA Trustee Marc LeBaron received the Gold Leadership Award from the National Junior Achievement Board of Directors, becoming the first Nebraskan to receive this prestigious award.

JA Trustee and CEO of Bison, Inc Nick Cusick has been an invaluable supporter of JA of Lincoln for nearly our entire history. His first involvement was through his daughters, both of whom participated in the original JA of Lincoln after school company program and went on to careers based on their JA experiences. Nick went on to serve on the JA Board of Directors, including as chair, and is now chair of the JA Trustee Board. He’s also a frequent classroom volunteer, sharing the “Our City” curriculum with 3rd graders. Read Nick’s whole JA of Lincoln story here: https://lincoln.ja.org/news/blog/celebrating-50-years-of-junior-achievement-of-lincoln-nick-story

Another supporter who has been with JA since the beginning is Harvey Schwartz, retired from Rixstein Recognition. After being asked to judge a contest as part of the JA company program and being truly impressed with what the students were learning, Harvey joined the JA of Lincoln Board of Directors in 1973 and remains an active member. He also serves frequently as a JA classroom volunteer. Asked about his favorite JA memory, Harvey says, “I was teaching a second grade class in which my granddaughter was a student. One of the concepts was the difference between needs and wants. A few weeks later we were riding in the car and her little brother kept asking for a special toy. She turned to him and asked, ‘Sammy, is that a need or a want?’ I knew then that the programs really struck a chord with the young people.” Read more about Harvey here: https://lincoln.ja.org/news/blog/celebrating-50-years-of-junior-achievement-of-lincoln-harvey-s-story

To see the full potential for impact that JA of Lincoln can have on a student, look no further than David Sievers, CEO of Akira Coffee Company. David says that, after failing 8th grade and struggling in high school, Junior Achievement changed his life. “In high school, Junior Achievement's in-school programs were like a lightning bolt. A totally different approach to learning, interactivity in a way that books and tests can't give, and for me, an opportunity to catch a glimpse of what I was supposed to be. I became fascinated with business through in-class programs like JA Titan and JA Stock Market Challenge. Junior Achievement experiences as a student showed me, my teachers, and my parents that I was good at something which gave me the confidence to continue learning financial skills. JA changed my personal trajectory in a way that set me up to eventually start my own businesses.” David would go on to be named LPS’s Outstanding Economics Student of the Year and a trip to the Federal Reserve, an achievement which he credits almost entirely to his involvement with JA of Lincoln. Read his whole story here: https://lincoln.ja.org/news/blog/celebrating-50-years-of-junior-achievement-of-lincoln-david-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!