LAS VEGAS – Local volunteers, businesses and schools were honored by Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada (JASN) for the crucial role they play in helping the nonprofit organization deliver needed financial literacy education to more than 20,000 K-12 students throughout the 2022-2023 school year.
Awards were presented to:
– Ken Edmonds for Volunteer of the Year
– Larry Cohn and his Business Process Automation Company for Small Company of the Year
– U.S. Bank for Large Company of the Year
– Michelle Whitfill, Fay Herron Elementary School principal, for Educator of the Year
– Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School for Elementary School of the Year
– Young Women’s Leadership Academy: Las Vegas for Middle School of the Year
– Cristo Rey St. Viator for High School of the Year
– UNLV Early Outreach Admissions for Community Partner of the Year
– Snehal Bhakta, Clark County School District CTE administrator, for Liaison of the Year
Dianne Pasiemiak of WaFd Bank and Neftali Barrios, two recent JASN Volunteer of the Month winners, also were recognized.
The end-of-year Volunteer Appreciation Celebration was held at the Mini Grand Prix, also a Junior Achievement partner. Attendees were treated to go-kart racing, amusement rides, arcade games and a selection of pizzas, salads and beverages.
Michelle Jackson, JASN president and CEO, expressed her gratitude to the honorees, stating, “Without our incredible volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to fulfill our mission of empowering students with financial knowledge and skills to succeed in life. Their tireless efforts, unwavering support and professional expertise allow us to reach and educate thousands of students every year. We are truly grateful to every single person, company and school that makes what we do possible.”
JASN has more than 700 community and business volunteers. From classroom mentors to program facilitators, they work with JASN staff and education and school partners to teach Junior Achievement’s financial literacy, workforce development and entrepreneurship curriculum. These programs equip youth with vital tools for financial success and prepare them for the challenges of the future.
“Schools don’t have the resources to provide comprehensive financial education, so we work with them to deliver it through our volunteers,” said Jackson. “We’re fortunate to have so many great ones and are always looking to welcome more to our JASN family.”
Junior Achievement provides volunteers with training that is simple and relatable to their professional and life experiences before they enter the classroom. They subsequently work and coordinate with JASN staff and schools to teach various age-appropriate JA lessons. The programs are designed to be both engaging and fun, making them easy to teach and receptive for students to learn.
To learn about becoming a JASN volunteer, call 702-214-0500 or visit https://southernnevada.ja.org/volunteer/index.
About Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada
Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, Inc. was founded locally in 1996. The organization is dedicated to providing financial education to K-12 students, with a curriculum that spans from budget management to economic principals, workforce skills and credit. Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada reaches more than 20,000 students annually in the Las Vegas area with the help of 285 businesses and 6,800 business role models. For more information visit https://jasnv.org/ and follow on Instagram and Facebook.
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