Junior Achievement 
of Tampa Bay, Inc.
March, 2017
STAR STUDENT

Isabel Benitez
Junior Achievement Entrepreneurial Academy
Alumnus and 
Freedom High School Senior
 
As a fifth grader, I was getting ready to go to JA BizTown, and I really wanted to be the CEO or CFO of the bank so that I could be in charge.  When I didn't get one of those positions, it unleashed this insatiable desire within me to be recognized as a leader. 
Later, as a junior in high school I decided to quit playing sports and dedicate my time to studying and participating in programs like Junior Achievement, which would help advance me along my path to becoming either a doctor or a medical researcher.
I participated twice in the Junior Achievement Entrepreneurial Academy (JAEA) so I could continue to develop my leadership abilities, my organizational and decision making abilities and to practice those leadership skills in a setting geared towards business.  Both times I was put into leadership roles and was challenged differently each time. My JAEA experiences included the opportunity for me to improve on my presentation skills through Dale Carnegie and the Toastmaster's Youth Leadership Program. 
I've used what I learned in JA to assume even more leadership roles as the faculty selection as President of National Honor Society and again for the Science National Honor Society. 
Junior Achievement was instrumental into shaping me into the young lady that I am today!  It gave me confidence in myself and my abilities, and the understanding that hard work really does pay off!
Thank you to PwC LLP for their support of JA students!

 
Shout out to the Rays!
Thank you to volunteers from JA partner -Tampa Bay Rays, for their time at JA BizTown on March 3rd. 


Be A JA Hero! 
Be a JA Bowler!

Is your company signed up to bowl this year for Junior Achievement Tampa Bay? If not call Alex Rolfsen TODAY at (813) 334-8380 or email alex.rolfsen@ja.org


Thank you to Gerdau and Accenture for their bowling efforts in February.
Gerdau

Accenture

Chairman Spends the Day at JA BizTown

Nicole and Robert Mossbacher (Chairman of the JA Regional Board) recently spent the day volunteering at Muma JA BizTown. It was a family day as they supported son Austin, a 5th grader from St. Petersburg Christian School.
Volunteer Florida Announces $100,000 in Grant Funding for Rural Communities 

On February 21st, Volunteer Florida announced $100,000 in grant awards to increase student achievement in Florida's rural communities.  Volunteer Florida's Rural Community Assets Fund will help build the capacity of 12 organizations so that they can provide important educational programming to students. We are proud to announce that Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay has received $10,000 through this program and will use this toward JA programming to further financial literacy in our schools.
CEO and Future CEO

Blake Casper, CEO of Caspers Company McDonalds Restaurants (JA BizTown Storefront Sponsor), visited JA BizTown recently. During his visit, he stopped to chat with the CEO of McDonalds. 
 
Get Involved With JA Tampa Bay


Stay Connected with 
  JA Tampa Bay   

Become a fan. Suggest our page to friends. 

Follow us on Twitter. Stay connected to us with newsworthy updates, inspirational stories and for information on our upcoming special events.  

 Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterView our videos on YouTube


Also,

 CLICK HERE   

to check out our website!


  Junior Achievement Hall of Fame
More than 400 community leaders, partners and volunteers gathered at Busch Gardens on March 2nd,  to enjoy a student-led program which honored this year's award winners from Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay. Honored as this year's Legacy Partners were: 
HSN, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and Sykes Enterprises, Inc.
The National Bronze Leadership Awards were presented to:  Ken Carter, Outback Steakhouse;
Jeff Eakins, Superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools;  Moez Limayem, Dean of Muma College of Business at University of South Florida and
Joe Lowry, Jr. of Lowry Financial Advisors.
Joe Teague, President of Teague Financial Group was presented with the National Silver Leadership Award.
Other award recipients included  Cindy McGarrigle of Regions Bank as the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year and  St. Petersburg Collegiate High School with the Outstanding Achievement of the Year award. 
Maria Martinez from HSN, accepts the Legacy Partner Award

Legacy Partner Award Winner, 
Mike Quackenbush,
 PwC, meets his on-stage personality
Chuck Sykes of Sykes Enterprises, Inc. receives the Legacy Partner Award

Joe Teague, Silver Award Recipient poses with his wife, Sheryl

Bronze  Award Recipient, Superintendent Jeff Eakins and his wife, Peggy
Dean Moez Limayem and his family pose with his Bronze Award

St. Petersburg Collegiate High School receives the Outstanding Achievement of the Year award.
Cindy McGarrigle is this year's Volunteer of the Year



We've reached 97% of our Phase I goal! 
Thank you to all individual and corporate donors who have pledged their support to the Building Our Future Campaign which will fund the future JA Finance Park facility to open 2017-2017 school year. 
JA Finance Park is a unique branding and marketing opportunity which will impact every Hillsborough County family with an end result of financially literate future consumers, workers and citizens of Florida.  
Join us by making your pledge online at:

for a Letter of Intent. 

Wells Fargo Sponsors 
JA BizTown Training Room
As of the 2016-2017 school year, the training room at JA BizTown is new and improved and is now under new sponsorship. On February 10th, the official ribbon cutting for the Wells Fargo Training room was celebrated with Steve Schultz, Area President.

 
JA BizTown Summer Camp
June 12-16, 2017
9:00AM - 3:00PM
Ages 10-12 year
Cost $210 week
$185/week plus Registration Fee: $25
Payments due May 1, 2017
 
At JA BizTown Camp, campers compute business expenses, operate a business, manage savings and checking accounts, become responsible consumers, and operate JA BizTown and more!

Visit our website  www.jatampabay.org  to sign up today!
 
For information: 
Contact Sally Eidge at sally.eidge@ja.org or call 
(813) 631-1410 ext. 228
Bill Poe Family JA Center
Home of the Muma JA BizTown
13707 N. 22nd Street
Tampa, Florida 33613

 
JA Job Shadow
Pinellas County Program is Growing

Through a partnership with Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay and Pinellas County Schools, over 230 students have been able to participate in the JA Job Shadow program. Over the last two weeks students from various high school academies have visited with local businesses to shadow and learn about what it takes to be successful in that industry. With this program, students gain insight into what opportunities abound for them in the Tampa Bay area, as well as the requirements they must meet to compete in a global job market. In addition to visiting local businesses and shadowing for the day, students also had the opportunity to receive Junior Achievement's Career Success program that focuses on equipping students with the knowledge and skills required to get and keep a job in high growth industries such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, work priorities, soft skills, and job hunting tools. Junior Achievement is excited about this new program partnership with Pinellas County Schools and looks forward to reaching more students in the future. We would like to thank our business partners including, 
Tampa Bay Rays, PSCU, Nielsen, LumaStream, the Pinellas County Sheriffs, Kobie Marketing, iQor and Tech Data for their support and giving their time to talk to these students. We would also like to thank our teachers and Marti Giancola for helping coordinate this event for Pinellas County Students.
Congratulations to JA Tampa Bay
for achieving the JA USA 5 Star Award for the 
2015-2016 school year!