Junior Achievement Celebrates Annual Spirit of Achievement Awards
May 17, 2010
[Springfield, MA] Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts recently celebrated its Annual Spirit of Achievement Awards at the Baystate Reference LAB & Conference Center in Holyoke. Nearly 200 guests attended the affair including Springfield City Councilor Timothy Allen and Springfield School Committee Member Barbara Gresham.
Dennis Egan, Jr. from Bacon Wilson, P.C. and Chair of the JAWM Board of Directors welcomed everyone to the event, “JA is stronger today than it was 91 years ago because of your dedication as funders, volunteers, educators, Board members, staff, and students. Tonight we celebrate your success and hard work.”
During the event, Junior Achievement recognized outstanding business partners, presenting the Horace Moses Business Partner Award to: Country Bank, The Irene E, and George A. Davis Foundation, MassMutual Financial Group, Northwestern Mutual Financial Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Savage Arms, and St. Germain Investment Management. These companies support JA not only financially but with volunteers in the classroom and at special events. The Horace Moses Partnership Award represents the dedication and commitment that JA’s founder, businessman Horace Moses had for preparing and inspiring young people to be successful, and is given to businesses that carry out his legacy.
Maureen Carabine from Savage Arms received the Adult Volunteer of the year Award for her years of volunteer support. Ms. Carabine volunteers at the JA Stock Market Challenge, the Bowl-A-Thon, the Golf Tournament, and this year helped oversee the JA in a Day program at the High School of Science and Technology, coordinating 50 JA Volunteers teaching JA Economics for Success to every freshman at the school.
Dawn Quercia, a teacher at East Longmeadow High School was recognized as Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Ms. Quercia was nominated by her JA Volunteer, Mr. Al Kasper. Together Ms. Quercia & Mr. Kasper have taught the JA Company program at ELHS for more than 10 years, teaching over 120 students each year how to create and run their own company.
Sue Majka, the Instructional Leadership Specialist at the Elementary level for Social Studies for Springfield Public Schools received the Outstanding Administrator of the Year in recognition of her work with the JA High School Heroes program, which provided JA programs to elementary students at Mary Lynch, Mary Walsh, Daniel Brunton, Thomas Balliet, Rebecca Johnson, Talmadge, Liberty, Warner, and William DeBerry Schools this year.
Katie Hawkins, who recently graduated from Springfield College was recognized as the Outstanding JA College Volunteer of the Year for her work at the Community Adolescent Treatment Program. Michael McCarthy, from CHD, had this to say about Katie, “Her upbeat, can do attitude was instrumental in conveying a sense involvement and ultimately helped to develop the momentum necessary to keep things moving in the right direction. Katie’s business presence, personal charm, and immediate grasp of both the demands and the potential of the grant reassured me that she was indeed the right person for the job.” In addition to volunteering to teach the JA Company Program, Katie taught JA Economics for Success and through her internship with the MassMutual Center, organized a JA Night at a Springfield Armor game.
Amanda Huston, Vice President of Operations for JA presented Western New England College with the 2010 Outstanding JA College Partner Award. Professor Jack Greeley accepted the award for the College. Western New England College has been partnering with JAWM to deliver financial literacy and entrepreneurial programs since 1998. This year Western New England College volunteers have taught 25 JA classes, impacting over 500 students from kindergarten trough high school. In addition to the traditional JA programs, Dr. Peter Hess and Professor Jack Greely included JA in their Summer Work & Learn Program and WNEC sponsored two teams of high school students for the Stock Market Challenge. In January WNEC stepped up and offered to sponsor the 2010 JA Stock Market Challenge at the College in November 2010.
The Student of the Year Awards were presented to the JA Student Ambassadors from Springfield Central High School: Sahrah Marcellin, a sophomore; Nathan Jones and Aracelis Espinal, juniors; and Noah and Pierre Joseph, seniors. Each of the students volunteered countless hours speaking on behalf of Junior Achievement to local business people and at events at MassMutual, St. Germain Investments Management and Savage Arms in addition to teaching JA programs at local Springfield elementary schools and Forest Park Middle School.
Sahrah Marcellin, who first had JA as a freshman at Central High, has taught 8 JA programs and impacted hundreds of third graders in Springfield. “Third grade is the best,” according to Sahrah, “JA has taught me how to be prepared for the world and that nothing comes easy. I love knowing that I’m making a difference in my community.”
Nathan Jones has been volunteering as a JA high School Hero for three years and enjoys teaching the JA’s kindergarten program. Ourselves, and the second grade, Our Community program. “I love working with the youngest students. JA has helped me become a better student and to understand that I need to work hard to be successful.”
Aracelis Espinal, a second year JA High School Hero, noted in her speech that “The JA High School Heroes Program means a lot to me and I continue to participate because I love it so much. The kids really love it too and they get a lot out of it. Through my work with JA I have gained a deeper appreciation for the difficult job that our teachers do. And because of JA I am working even harder in school and looking forward to going to college.”
Pierre and Noah Joseph were first introduced to JA through the JA Economics program. “I love economics! I am going to pursue a degree in economics in college and feel that I have a solid foundation and appreciation of the subject because of my JA class,” Pierre said after receiving his award. Pierre and Noah both served as JA Student Ambassadors and volunteered with local business people to teach JA America Works at Forest Park Middle School. Pierre also serves as the Student Representative on the Springfield School Committee and from his experiences he noted the need for continuing to provide JA programs to Springfield students. “It is vital that businesses continue to donate their time, talent and financial support to bring JA into our classrooms. JA brings relevance and real world experience to the students. JA volunteers share their knowledge and understanding with our youth and help make the connection between ‘learning and earning.’”
Jennifer Connolly, President of Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Mitch and Jane Kuzdzal from Chicopee. Mr. and Mrs. Kuzdzal have been volunteering for JA for more than twenty years, working with over one thousand children. The Kuzdzals also volunteer for JA events. “Whether it’s setting up for the golf tournament, hole sitting, handing out strike prizes at the bowl-a-thon, or manning a printer station at the Stock Market Challenge, Mitch and Jane are there smiling and full of energy,” noted Connolly. “They have not only taught the youth how to become successful but taught all of us how to give to others and to be vibrant and joyous.”
Rebecca MacGregor, JA Program Manager presented JA Peak Performance Awards for extraordinary service and dedication to JA to Julie Pelletier, from RSVP in Pittsfield; Jodie Gerulaitis, from Country Bank, and Christine Juda from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.
Julie Pelletier volunteered in 15 classrooms this year, recruiting and training volunteers for an additional 21 classrooms, as well as fundraising for JA through the JA Bowl-a-Thon.
Jodie Gerulaitis worked in partnership with JA partnership to creating the JA Bank On It program, which teaches high school students the importance of personal and family budgeting, saving and investing, the importance of credit and identity protection.
Christine Juda teaches JA to 10 classrooms at Old Mill Pond School in Palmer this year – six 1st grades and four 2nd grades. At the completion of each of the JA programs she likes to provide the students with something fun. This year, first grade was presented with a PowerPoint of the Mass Firefighting Academy and the second grade received a visit from the Mass State Police bomb squad and one of the dogs.
Mrs. Macgregor recognized JA Volunteer Coordinators, who help JA by recruiting volunteers, providing training, and distributing JA materials. Those recognized this year include: Brenda Canning, Springfield College; dale Diefenderfer, Soule Road School, Wilbraham; Peg Doyle, St. Thomas School, West Springfield; Sharon Dufour, Memorial School, Wilbraham; Jack Greeley, WNEC; Christine Irujo, Westfield State College; Julie Pelletier, RSVP Pittsfield; Anne Potter, Holyoke Community College; Shelly Rose, St. John the Baptist School, Ludlow; and Beth Royce, MassMutual Financial Group YPS ERG.
Also recognized at the Spirit of Achievement Awards where school provide JA programs to all of their students. This year Full School Participate Certificates were presented to: Capeless School and Stearns Elementary School in Pittsfield; Memorial School in Wilbraham; Selser School in Chicopee, St. John the Baptist School in Ludlow; St. Thomas the Apostle School in West Springfield; and Mary Lynch Elementary, Mary Walsh Elementary, and Talmadge School in Springfield.
State Representative Richard Neal, could not attend the event because of a vote in Washington, but sent his congratulations to all present and to Junior Achievement for its continued dedication to helping prepare the young people of Western Massachusetts to be successful. Congressman Neal has volunteered with Mitch Kuzdzal in several of his JA classes.
For more than 90 years JA of Western Massachusetts has recruited and trained community volunteers and business leaders to present JA programs that focus on business, citizenship, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics/character, financial literacy, and career exploration. This year more than 10,000 students in 28 school districts across Western Massachusetts will participate in JA programs, taught by over 355 local volunteers. JA programs are funded through the generosity of local businesses, individuals, foundations and special events. If you would like to learn more about JA or to get involved, visit our web site at www.jawm.org or call (413) 747-7670.
About Junior Achievement Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics and free enterprise. Through a dedicated volunteer network, JA provides in-school and after-school programs for students in grades K-12. JA offers educational programs that focus on seven key content areas: business, citizenship, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics/character, financial literacy, and career development. Today more than Junior Achievement Worldwide reaches almost seven million students in 98 countries. For more information, visit www.jawm.org.