Junior Achievement to “Ring In” its Centennial by Ringing the NYSE Closing Bell on March 12, 2019

On March 12, 2019, Junior Achievement USA^® (JA) will ring The Closing Bell^® at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in celebration of JA's 100^th Anniversary. The bell will be rung by Jack Kosakowski, President and CEO of Junior Achievement USA, who will be accompanied by distinguished JA volunteers and students.

Preceding the bell ringing, JA will honor 44 organizations with the 2017-2018 U.S. President's Volunteer Service Awards during a ceremony at the NYSE. The organizations receiving the awards provided Junior Achievement with significant volunteer resources during the 2017-2018 school year. The event is part of the JA Volunteer Summit, supported by American Express.

In 2003, President George W. Bush established the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation (the Council) to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers make in communities and to encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President's Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor individuals who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. In 2006, Junior Achievement became an official certifying organization for this award, which recognizes corporations with a U.S. presence that provide volunteers to teach JA programs anywhere in the world.

"We appreciate our friends at the Intercontinental Exchange and New York Stock Exchange for providing an opportunity for Junior Achievement to mark its centennial in such a memorable way," said Jack Kosakowski, President and CEO of Junior Achievement USA.

Quick Facts about Junior Achievement

The following are interesting facts about Junior Achievement.

More than 112 million Americans have gone through Junior Achievement programs since its founding in 1919.

Research shows that JA Alumni are more likely to start a business, have a college degree and feel confident about managing money.

For most of its history, Junior Achievement offered one program, the JA Company Program, where teens met after school and started their own businesses. Today, most JA programs are offered in-school in grades K through 12 and focus on work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

Nearly a quarter-of-a-million volunteers, primarily from the business community, teach JA programs each year.

The first JA program outside of the United States was started in Canada in the 1950s. Today, JA programs are available in more than 100 countries in every region of the world.